Zara squeezed her eyes shut. She was feeling puzzled over the silly mistake she made just because she was sick.She pondered for a second before asking the attendant, "Could I borrow some clothes from you? Anything will do."She could not let Stanley see her with no clothes on.The attendant paused. "Would my uniform work?""That's perfect.""Give me ten minutes. I'll go grab it.""Thanks a lot."After the attendant stepped out of the bathroom, she also closed the bedroom door behind her.Zara did not shower. She just dampened a washcloth, wiped off, slipped into a robe, and came out.Her head spun, and she tripped on the bathmat. She was sent tumbling toward the bed.Before she could pick herself up, Yosef burst in.Being sick had turned everything upside down.…Zara would not bother explaining anything to Yosef. If he disliked her, it was for the best. It would make quitting her job that much simpler.She spent the night half-asleep. The next morning, she was still diz
Zara knew he meant well. Since she saw him as a friend, she did not hide anything. She said with honesty, "Professor Schmidt, you don't have to worry. We aren't doing anything illegal."I made a promise to Mr. Schmidt that if he could rescue me, I'd work at the Schmidts for five years. I'd sign a labor contract with him. With my skills, I'm sure I can bring in as much profit as the old city district project."The Schmidts had offered her a job too.Before, Zara had been feeling torn over two companies. One was Chavez Capital, and the other was the Schmidts.After weighing her options, she felt Chavez Capital was a better fit for her, so she had not reached out to the Schmidts.Yesterday, she was left with no other choice, so she had to offer herself as a bargaining chip in her negotiations with Stefan.Stefan thought it over and accepted her offer.He had one condition, however. At Schmidt Group, she would only get a basic salary for five years, with no commissions or bonuses.
Zara felt a flicker of doubt.When they first started talking business, Stefan seemed really interested in having her join the team. He even reminded her last night about the deal they made.Why did he turn her down today?What she did not realize was that her real troubles were just starting.Zara pulled her suitcase behind her and took a taxi home.Right when she unlocked her door, a loud bang made her jump.A second later, colorful confetti rained down, and Cecil shouted, "Way to go, Zara! You're finally free from all that trouble!"Zara laughed. "Aren't you going a bit overboard? You got confetti and everything. I thought something blew up!"Cecil grinned. "I planned it perfectly. Tomorrow's Saturday, and your contract is up today. I had to celebrate big time for you!"She took Zara's suitcase. "So, did you sort everything out with Yosef? You're splitting up now, right?""Pretty much." Zara did not talk about what happened on the ship and just said, "They gave us a goodby
Zara hesitated, then texted back that it was no big deal. They could try to meet up another time.Last-minute work and having to stay late were pretty common. Zara did not think too much of it at first. She filled a cup with water from the bathroom and watered a plant near the window.It was a mint plant, with a gentle, cool scent.Suddenly, she had an idea and grabbed her phone again to text Celine: [Hey Celine, should I just come to Chavez Capital on Monday to get started with the job?]After waiting for 30 minutes, there was no reply from Celine.Breathing in the mint's chilly scent, Zara felt her spirits drop.When it was lunchtime, Cecil saw that Zara was still home and asked, "Didn't you have a lunch date with the HR employee from Chavez Capital? Why haven't you gone out?"Zara checked her phone again, but Celine still had not answered. She went on her social media page and saw a picture of some delicious food. There was no location tagged, but she could see a restaurant's
"Mrs. Webb, are you here by yourself?" Zara asked with a smile.Macy gave her a warm hug and looked at her with concern. "My dear, you haven't come by for dinner in over a month. You look like you've lost weight!""I've been really swamped," Zara said, feeling sorry.Macy's face turned serious. "Well, it wouldn't have been much fun here anyway.""What's going on?" Zara wondered.Macy sighed. "Yosef and his dad are the issue. They've been fighting over Beatrice, the young secretary. It has gotten so bad that Yosef has not been home in ages, and he's not answering calls or texts."Yosef had stayed away from home before. He once stayed away for half a year. Ignoring calls and texts, however, was a first.Zara knew the trouble between Yosef and his dad might have something to do with Macy.From what she could see, Macy, being the stepmom that she was, seemed to be doing everything right.After marrying Ethan, Macy decided to get a birth control device. She wanted to prove that she
Zara's hometown was a place called Fleent.Over the past few years, towns everywhere had been sprucing up to bring in tourists. Fleent had become a quaint and old cultural town. It was bustling with visitors from afar and was quite a charming spot.Zara's family home was tucked away in a narrow alley where cars could not go. She walked up to her home, which she had not seen in three years, with two bags in her hands.The front door stood open, which was normal for these houses during the day. It was safe enough.As she reached the door, Zara was not sure how to approach, what face to make, or what to say. Just then, someone stepped out, and she quickly hid behind the wall.Peering out, she saw it was her mom.Her mom was rinsing some herbs under the outdoor faucet. Zara recognized them as the ingredients used to make tea. Her mom would boil the herbs into a tea that was perfect with a drizzle of honey. Zara remembered how much she loved this herbal tea. Her mom used to make it
For five or six relentless minutes, Zara continued to give Sharon CPR until she saw a slight frown on her mother's face.Zara listened again. There was a heartbeat, and she was breathing! Overwhelmed with relief, she sobbed out the words, "Mom! Mom!"Sharon was still out cold, so Zara kept up the CPR until the wail of sirens filled the alley.Paramedics rushed Sharon onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. At the hospital, they wheeled her straight into the ER, leaving Zara and Trevor outside.Trevor's legs had buckled, and he had slumped to the floor. He looked pale and shaken.Keeping her cool, Zara walked over to Trevor. After a moment's hesitation, she helped him to a chair. She had bought two bottles of water from a vending machine and handed one to Trevor.He did not drink it and just clutched the bottle. However, he seemed to have settled a bit.Zara got straight to the point. "What's wrong with my mom? Does she have a heart problem?"Trevor squeezed his eyes shut and
Zara listened without a word. She felt a sharp ache in her heart. She took a tissue and gently dabbed away the tears from her mom's eyes.She could not say the words "It's okay" or "I don't blame you", but she did not feel as angry as before."Let's leave the past behind and not talk about it anymore. I'm not mad at you, and you don't have to worry about me. I've been doing alright these last few years. "And don't worry about the surgery costs, I have money. Once we find a good match, you can get the surgery."Sharon gave a weak smile. "As long as you're doing well, that's all that matters..."Zara merely replied, "I've been doing alright."She spent a long time with Sharon. She fed Sharon some oatmeal, and Sharon fell asleep late into the night. Only then did Zara leave the ward.Trevor was sitting on a chair by the ward's door. Upon seeing her come out, he stood up quickly. He looked a bit flustered.He really wanted to talk to Zara, but he did not know how to begin after ev
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