The sound of someone punching in a code at the door echoed, and Sharon bolted upright in her hospital bed. Her eyes were fixed on the entrance. A few men in white coats, none of whom she recognized, walked in."Who are you..."The leader put his finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet. "Mrs. Lowry, there's no need to be scared. I'm Nord, a friend of Ms. Zara Lowry. We've made a plan to get you out of here."Zara! Sharon's heart leaped. "Is Zara okay?"Nord nodded. "She's fine, but we're short on time and can't stay to chat. You need to come with us now!""Okay, okay."Nord draped a big cloak over Sharon and pulled the hood up to cover her face so no one could see her. Then, they quickly made their escape—Yosef's people were always there, keeping a close eye on Sharon. Nord and his team had timed their rescue perfectly, slipping away during the one-minute window of the guard shift change.As they made their getaway, the guards realized Sharon was gone. They panicked, scra
The wedding car was ambushed, and chaos erupted at the wedding at the same time.The wedding procession was neatly arranged with two cars in front, behind, and on each side of the main wedding car. However, at a red light, several off-road vehicles cut in. The main wedding car was left all alone.The main wedding car's driver, who usually drove for Yosef, was quick on his feet. As soon as he was surrounded, he knew trouble was brewing and called Wilder on the walkie-talkie."Boss, looks like we've got trouble!"Wilder instructed, "Take the next left."However, the off-road vehicles were herding the main wedding car to turn left too. That meant more trouble was waiting after the turn. Why would Wilder want to go that way?The driver's hands were firm on the wheel as he protested, "Boss! We can't! Turning left will take us away from the wedding!"Wilder was right beside the main wedding car and suddenly swerved. "Turn left."The main wedding car almost got hit. Dodging Wilder, th
Zara hopped into the car, and they sped off toward the dock.Wilder looked back. The first to reach him was a wedding car that screeched to a stop. Harper unbuckled and stepped out, looking really mad.As he stormed over, he said, "At the West Palace party, Yosef said we should keep an eye on the wedding car and you. I thought he was just being paranoid. You're supposed to be one of us, but you turned out to be a real traitor!"With that, Harper kicked Wilder hard in the chest."You're so ungrateful! You've got the heart of a wolf! Did you forget who helped you get where you are today? How could you betray Yosef!"Wilder did not move out of the way. He took the kick full-on and tumbled to the ground. Holding his chest, his face turned as white as a sheet. He managed a laugh. "I guess Yosef was onto me all this time... Buddy, remember when we had drinks and you told me to chase after whoever I liked? You said not to be too noble, that having fun is what's important, right?"Harp
Sharon fell straight onto the grass.Zara stumbled and fell too. She went down a small slope, rolling several meters.The wind howled across the open field. Zara felt as if the bolt had gone through her own heart, chilling her to the bone.Her vision was clouded with red, and her face was ghostly white. Her mind was buzzing. "Mom, Mom..."The terrible pain made every nerve in Zara's body ache. It took all her strength to crawl the short distance to her mom's side and grab her sleeve.Mom...Memories flashed before her eyes—peaceful afternoons sorting threads and chatting with her mom, her sick mom making her scarves and gloves to keep her warm even when she was away…Zara remembered the herbal jelly her mom had made with so much care, the wild honey she had saved just for her, and their late-night talks. Her mom had shared her hopes for Zara to have a good marriage but also her fears of Zara being mistreated by a rich family. She was worried about not being able to stand up fo
The weather was gloomy today, with thick smog hanging in the air. Even close to noon, the sea was a blanket of gray.Three cruise ships sat side by side at the dock, looming like silent giants in the mist. They were like moving fortresses, imposing and still.Shawn stayed out of sight, not wanting to cause a stir. He knew eyes were on him, and he needed the advantage of surprise.He stood on the cruise ship's deck, his eyes fixed on the calm sea stretching into the distance.Turning to his aide, he asked, "What's the status with Nord and Sadie?""No word from Nord yet, but Sadie's mission was a success," the aide reported.They were all waiting for one more person—Zara.Shawn commanded, "Get the ship moving. We'll leave as soon as our guest arrives."The aide nodded, understanding the urgency, and went to carry out the orders.Shawn played with the lighter in his hands, a constant companion over the years. His striking looks were even more pronounced against the backdrop of th
Yaxley himself sat on the hood of a car with his legs crossed, whistling a taunt.Yosef was puzzled. He could not figure out how they knew Sharon was still alive or how they guessed trouble would strike at the wedding. He had so many questions but no time to think about them now.He quickly pulled Zara to safety behind him and took aim at Yaxley, letting an arrow fly!Yaxley was quick, diving into the car through the window just in time. The arrow was not meant for him, though. It hit the sound system's speaker with a loud snap!However, the sound system did not stop. It played a recording of Yosef demanding answers."Where's the ledger?""Where's Zara!""Where's the ledger?""You, what did you do to my Zara?! You monsters! Killing Mr. Gibson wasn't enough, and now you're after his only daughter too!""Where's the ledger?"Over and over, Yosef continued to ask for the ledger. He was calm but relentless. Zara, hearing the recording, felt like she was falling apart. Sharon, who
"Then what?"Zara was holding onto the car door so hard her fingertips were white.Macy said slowly, "Yosef set up a 'thief' to snatch your mom's battery pack. She fell down fast when the battery ran out. It's hard to tell if it was just the world being cold or if Yosef planned it, but nobody helped her... When I got there, she was already…"Macy's mouth twisted into a smile. "...gone cold."…If Zara felt like her world was crashing down when she saw the fake Sharon get shot by Yosef,After hearing Yaxley's recording and Macy's story, Zara felt... She just felt...Macy saw how upset Zara looked and knew the story had hit hard. She gave a small smile, rolled up the window, and the car started to pull away.Once the car was gone, Zara felt even more hollow.It was empty in front of her, and it was empty in her heart."Zara! Stop listening, come with me."Yosef took hold of Zara's wrist, trying to pull her away from the messy fight all around them. Zara stumbled after him, loo
Zara pushed the knife in deeper, and blood trickled out. Yaxley stepped out of the car, his usual easygoing smile gone. He watched Zara with a serious look, his face hard to read.While Yosef had kept her confined, Zara had threatened to hurt herself many times to get her way. At this moment, however, she was really doing it.The words Macy had said made her feel like dying was not such a big deal. She had no one left to care about in that world, she was not scared of death at all.Yosef's eyes darkened as he saw the blood on her neck. It took him less than three seconds to give in. "Yes.""This is the best solution."Her mother was truly gone, and he had really killed her.Zara felt her spirit fading. She looked at Yosef, remembering their three years of constant companionship and a year filled with love and hate. How could it all end that way?She glanced at the two groups still fighting. What were they fighting for? For her? To claim her?She laughed.Yaxley approached her.
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