It was not until they got to the hospital and Yosef led her straight to the doctor's office that she felt something was off. "Aren't we supposed to visit my mom in the ICU? Why are we here?"Yosef stood by and said, "Take a seat."Confused, Zara had barely sat down when a nurse came over with a tray. She was ready to roll up Zara's sleeve.On the tray, Zara saw a rubber band for blood tests, disinfectant, needles, and blood collection tubes...Yosef said softly, "We're just going to do a blood test."Zara got it right away and turned to him. "You still think I might be pregnant?"Yosef had been hoping for a while that Zara would get pregnant. They had not been careful, so it would not be a surprise."It's just to be sure," he said.She did not want to be tested.She had not thought about the possibility before and felt it could not be true, but her recent sleepiness, big appetite, and queasiness did seem like signs.Her hand touched her stomach without her thinking, and her h
Zara was once the top secretary at Azure Cloud Group, and everyone knew her.No one could have guessed that she would come back after a year. She was even walking side by side with Yosef.With them not even trying to hide from the staring eyes, how could anyone not wonder about what was going on between them?In less than 30 minutes of Zara stepping into Azure Cloud Group, the news spread like wildfire. For the next three days, it was all anyone could talk about during their coffee breaks and lunchtime.That chatter even dug up the old love story between Yosef and Beatrice.Little by little, a tale took shape among the staff. They figured that Zara must have quit because Yosef got charmed by Beatrice, who they called a sly fox. However, Yosef had come to his senses and was trying to win back his old flame. The proof? Before the holidays, Yosef was spotted heading to Westwood a lot, and Zara was working at Schmidt Group in Westwood back then!The rumor mill was buzzing with the
The most popular club in Starville was West Palace.In a private room, dim lights and suggestive shadows danced as women in skimpy outfits moved behind a screen. The night was getting heaty. Yaxley, however, was bored.He reclined on the couch. There was a pretty woman sitting on the floor by his feet. She leaned against his knees, pouring his drinks and offering him fruit. She pretended to be close but was actually keeping her distance.After ending a phone call, he tossed his phone aside. The woman quickly popped a grape into his mouth and called out sweetly, "Mr. Lark!""Good girl," Yaxley said with a smile, patting her head like she was a little puppy. Chase walked in just then and asked, "Who was on the phone?""It was our Mr. Webb," Yaxley replied, enjoying the sweet grapes. "The hospital insider told us Yosef took Ms. Lowry for a blood test. Looks like she might be pregnant."Chase's face fell when he heard the news. He sat down on the couch, looking gloomy. Another woma
Chase walked back into the private room, his expression serious.Yaxley pointed out, "Try this sweet shrimp, it's fresh."Chase grabbed his coat from the couch, his expression blank. "Let me know if Zara is pregnant. I've got to go. I have other things to handle."Yaxley waved him off, picked up his phone, and swiped through it. Just then, a call came in. "Yes?"The voice on the phone said, "Mr. Lark, there's been a significant change in the patient's data in the ICU."Yaxley's eyes narrowed. "Is she waking up?""She's not awake yet. I just saw the data change while passing by the ICU. The doctor hasn't said much, but from what I've seen, she might be coming around."Yaxley was keeping a watchful eye on Zara, but he was determined to get the ledger from Sharon. "Stay alert and let me know if anything happens," he instructed."Understood!"...As the evening sky turned a deep orange, the clock struck seven.The Azure Cloud Group's office hours were over, and in the tall build
Zara kept her eyes on the TV, ignoring Yosef. Yosef did not linger and just walked out into the night.Outside, his expression grew serious. He asked Charvi, his voice low and urgent, "Did someone tell my dad about Zara and me going to the company today?"He figured it had to be the reason why his father wanted to see him so urgently."It might have been Mrs. Parker," Charvi whispered back.…The Webb family's home was shrouded in darkness. Yosef's car rolled into the driveway, its headlights cutting through the gloom.A helper rushed to open his car door. "Why is it so dark?" Yosef asked as he stepped out."The mistress thought it best to keep the lights off. The master hasn't been sleeping well. Maybe the light's been bothering him," the helper explained.Ethan was not the same man who used to greet Yosef with anger or a slammed fist. Things had changed.It had only been a couple of weeks since they discovered Zara was part of the Gibson family. However, in that short time,
A loud smack rang out.The tray hit the floor with a loud crash, and cups broke into pieces everywhere. Helpers from all over the house rushed to see what happened. They were shocked to find Yosef with his hand around Macy's neck, pushing her against the wall."Mr. Yosef, Mr. Yosef, please let her go," the helpers pleaded. "You can't do this to her..."None of them knew what had caused the fight between the usually feuding stepmother and stepson. All they saw was the fierce look in Yosef's eyes."You can try," he said in a low voice.Macy struggled to breathe, but she managed to smile and say, "I've heard a saying, 'Women may be weak, but mothers are strong'. There's truth in that. If anyone tries to hurt my daughter, I'll have to fight back the same way…"She had pretended to be a loving mother for years. Now, as Ethan lay dying, she finally showed her true colors.Yosef stared at her coldly, realizing for the first time that she was more cunning than he had thought....Back
Zara really did not want to recall the events of that day.She even did not remember much about it anymore.Some people were like that. Subconsciously, they deliberately forgot and avoided those things that caused them pain and fear as a means of self-protection. After all, psychological pain was in no way inferior to physical torture.Zara only remembered that it was summer. She was very busy during that period, having worked overtime for nearly half a month. There were even a few days when she slept directly at the company.One busy morning, she had already met with clients, signed contracts, and planned out Yosef's next week's work, sorting tasks by importance and who needed what done first. She was just about to check in with him for a final okay when she went to his office and found it empty. Charvi walked by just then, and she asked, "Charvi, have you seen Mr. Webb?" "Zara, have you been so busy that you forgot? Today's the welcome party for new students at Starville Univ
The person Zara was talking about was Yosef. Even though Yosef had been distant with her for the past six months for reasons she did not know, she still believed that Yosef would not just leave her in trouble. He was the first person she thought of as her lifeline in that desperate situation. Zara swallowed hard, her throat dry and aching. She kept insisting, "Really, he will definitely pay you."One of the four men, with a sharp face and shifty eyes, asked, "How much can you give?" Zara tried to stay calm despite her panic. "As much as you want!" The man in the middle, who was obviously the boss, was tall and intimidating. He shouted, "Eric!" Eric, eager and restless, said, "Boss, we could really cash in here!" "You trust what she says? If we stir up trouble and the police come, we're all done for! Let's wait for the buyer to show up, handle this merchandise, and then we've gotta get out fast. We can't stick around in Heatherway any longer!" Buyer? What buyer?Could they
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