"Time to eat, everyone! Zara surprised us by bringing Yosef home today without a heads-up, so we've just got our usual home cooking. I hope Yosef likes it."Yosef stood up, glanced at Trevor's pale face, and said in a kind voice, "I'm the one who didn't tell Zara I was staying, so she couldn't let you know. It's not her fault."Sharon, the mother-in-law, could not stop smiling at Yosef. She had not been that cheerful in ages. Teasingly, she said, "Yosef, don't let Zara get away with too much."However, she quickly added, "Then again, Zara's always been so thoughtful. She's not one to be spoiled."Zara just smiled.As they all sat down to eat, Sharon ladled some soup into Yosef's bowl and kept adding more food to his plate with the serving spoon."Yosef, try this chicken noodle soup. It's very nutritious."And the grilled salmon with lemon sauce, Zara loves it. She's always had a thing for tangy flavors since she was little."Yosef glanced at Zara, who indeed had been consistent
This guy sure had some weird ideas!Zara could not help but laugh at his oddball plan.However, Yosef was finally cracking jokes. Zara smiled. "The ring won't come off, right? How can I change my mind? I don't have 45 million dollars to pay you back.""Exactly." Yosef grinned. "I've got you trapped with that unremovable ring. I was a little mad when your dad was pointing at me, but you cheered me up."Who was cheering him up? He was really good at making things up. Zara wondered aloud, "Are you picking up some new tricks from Sarah?" Was he being stubborn?"Do I need to copy someone else?" Yosef would not admit it."Should I remind you about the time you copied Yaxley, Mr. Webb?"Yosef gave her a quick kiss and then strode out of the alley.Zara laughed to herself as she headed home.As she got to the door, she heard the caretaker cry out, " Mrs. Lowry! Mrs. Lowry! Are you okay?"Zara's heart skipped a beat, and she dashed inside!There was Sharon, propped up on the couch
Zara touched her face, stunned by the sudden pain.Trevor could not believe he had actually hit her. His hand was balled into a fist as he said sternly, "I'm your dad! You have to listen to me! If I say you can't marry him, then you can't. He's bad news!"Zara's face was calm as she looked at him and asked, "What about when you gave me away to pay off your debts? Were those people good?"Trevor was rocked to his core.Zara usually did not bring up old hurts.Whether it was the mean things Yosef had done or the time Trevor and Sharon had tried to sell her, once she forgave, she tried to forget.However, today, Trevor had made her too upset. "You already chose to give me up, so stop acting like you're in charge. You've lost that right. If you make Mom upset again, I'll take her away."With that, she spun around and left.The wind made the slap on her face burn even more. She swallowed hard and started running out of the alley.What she did not expect was to see that fancy Maybac
Yosef walked over to her, his feet in soft black slippers. They made a soft sound on the white carpet. "It's been more than a week. Didn't you miss me at all?"Zara looked away, shaking her head. "No, I didn't."However, Yosef confessed, "Well, I missed you."Zara finally got what people meant when they said 'honesty could be powerful.'Yosef pretended to be upset. "You didn't answer any of my messages."He moved closer by just one step, and Zara instinctively stepped back. "What messages? I didn't get any."Yosef looked like he was about to say, 'Oh, you didn't get them? My mistake. No problem, though. I'll just tell you.'Then, he said in a low voice, "I said, 'Hey, I've been thinking about you.'"Zara's eyes went wide!"And, 'Hey, I left my tie in your room. Could you pick it up for me? And maybe iron it? It got all wrinkled.' Remember now? I even sent you a photo. You left something in my suitcase..."Zara quickly put her hand over his mouth!Even if it was just the two
Zara did not leave East Coast until the next day. She did not let Yosef drive her as Shelby had asked her to have lunch together at noon.While she was putting on her makeup, Yosef leaned against the vanity as he watched. His voice carried a tone of dissatisfaction seeing as she was leaving him to meet someone else. "You're getting along so well with Shelby now?"Zara was doing her eyebrows. "What? Mr. Webb, are you bothered that I'm not just friends with Professor Schmidt and Mr. Lark but also with Ms. Lambert?"Yosef was indeed very bothered.He chose lipstick from her makeup bag that matched her look, tilted her chin up, and started to apply it. "They're taking up all the time I should have with you, and I can't even say a word about it. Be nice. Don't be too tough on me."Zara could not help but smile. He leaned in closer, his own lips curling into a smile. "Don't laugh, or I'll mess up your makeup."He was careful and focused as he applied the lipstick. Zara watched his sh
Zara quickly tucked the pillbox into her purse. Shelby noticed she did not take any of the pills and asked, "What's up?"Then, she saw the ring on Zara's finger, and her eyes widened. "You're getting married to Mr. Webb? Are you guys planning on having kids?""He mentioned wanting kids last night, but I'm still thinking about it," Zara said, her smile dimming. "I had a check-up a few months back. The doctor said it might be hard for me to get pregnant because of a past miscarriage that thinned the walls of my uterus."Shelby got serious. "If you're not sure about having kids, you should still be careful. Even if it's hard for you to get pregnant, don't just hope for the best. You don't want to end up with a baby you're not ready for, especially if you're worried about being able to have kids later on."Zara nodded and pressed her lips together. "I'll think it over."After eating, Zara invited Shelby over for dinner that night. "It's just me and my folks at home. It'd be more fun w
Trevor's face was scratched and bleeding from getting hit by the broom.Zara quickly stepped in. "Mom! Don't hit him!"Sharon looked at Trevor with disappointment and anger. "Why can't you just behave and live well?! Just when things are looking up, you have to stir up trouble and make everyone miserable. You, you, you..."Seeing Sharon's face turn pale, Zara got worried and hugged her. "Mom! Calm down! Please, calm down!"Sharon's head felt like it was on fire, and everything went black before she fell to the ground. Zara's mind went completely blank with shock! Sharon's artificial heart started flashing a red warning light. Zara held Sharon's hand tight and quickly dialed for an ambulance. However, it was the holidays, and there was a shortage of hospital staff because of it. No ambulances were available.Luckily, Yosef had let Zara borrow his car that day. Zara and Trevor lifted Sharon into the car and raced to the hospital. They rushed Sharon into the emergency room, but the
He arrived at a private villa and immediately heard Trevor trying to talk his way out of trouble."I don't know what you're talking about. I've never seen it or heard of it!" Trevor insisted.Yosef watched quietly as a helper brought over a pair of disposable slippers for him to wear inside the villa.In a big living room with fancy decorations, Yaxley was sitting on the couch with his legs wide open. He had his elbows on his knees and was mixing his coffee on the table with a spoon. He gave Trevor a hard stare."Trevor, why do you think I came to you and not someone else? Huh? We all know what's going on, so why are you pretending not to get it?""I really don't know why you're after me. I'm disabled. I have a bad leg. You're being tough on me. Don't you have any heart?"Yaxley tossed the spoon aside. "I gave you a chance, and you blew it. I know you're Ms. Lowry's dad, so I don't want to rough you up, but you're asking for it."The bodyguard caught Trevor and slammed him down on the
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