Charlotte's face turned pale as she struggled hard. "No, let go of me!"When she realized she could not break free, she bit down on the hand gripping her wrist."Ah! You wretched woman! You think you can get away with this?" the man cried out in pain, angrily throwing Charlotte to the ground and slapping her hard.Just as Haley arrived, she saw Charlotte being tossed aside. She quickly stepped in, pushing the man away. "Stop! What do you think you're doing?"The man's menacing expression froze when he recognized her. "M-Miss Haley?"An acquaintance?Haley looked closely at him, finding him somewhat familiar but unable to recall where she had seen him before.The man forced a flattering smile and spoke softly, "Miss Haley, you don't remember me? Our companies are business partners."With that reminder, Haley recalled who he was. "So, it's Mr. Wilson. It's been a while. I used to think highly of your company, but now, I think we'll be reconsidering."Mr. Wilson turned pale with
After a brief goodbye with Charlotte, Haley turned and left. Charlotte watched their departing figures for a moment, lost in thought. She then headed back into the restaurant, where the manager immediately called her over."Charlotte, you’ve caused us a lot of trouble. Mr. Wilson specifically asked us to fire you, and we can't afford to offend him," the manager said sternly.Charlotte's face turned pale. "Manager, I really need this job, can't you...""No!" The manager cut her off coldly, pulling some hundred-dollar bills from his wallet and handing them to her. "Take this and leave. Our place is too small to accommodate you."Holding the money, Charlotte could not stop her tears from falling. Why was life so cruel to her? Since her father passed away, she and her mother had not had a single peaceful day. Everywhere they went, they faced obstacles, as if the world was playing a cruel joke on them.……Meanwhile, after getting into the car, Haley called Dean, asking him to in
Haley looked at Shane with surprise. "You got here so fast! Rachel and I were just nearby. What about you?""We were nearby too, having drinks with Henry," Shane replied, his eyes fixed on Haley, unable to look away for even a moment.Meeting his intense gaze, Haley's cheeks flushed. She gave him a gentle push. "Why are you staring at me? Let's go inside, it's too hot out here!"It was the hottest part of the day, and the sun was so bright it was almost blinding. Shane shifted his position slightly, using his tall frame to block the sunlight. "Is this better?"Haley smiled and nodded, taking his hand as they walked inside. Meanwhile, Rachel stood to the side, feeling completely ignored. She stomped her foot in frustration and glared at Shane's back, nearly bursting with anger. "Can you two tone it down a bit? There are other people around!"Haley exchanged a glance with Shane and laughed. She ruffled Rachel's hair and said softly, "Don't worry, you'll find someone who loves you
Zac opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Shane’s hand swatted his away in a jealous fit."Talk without all the touching! Keep your hands to yourself," Shane grumbled.Zac and Haley exchanged a glance, smiling helplessly.After chatting for a while, Zac checked his watch and said, "I have a patient coming this afternoon. Why don't you all come back in the evening?"Henry protested, "Come on, Zac! We came all this way to see you, and now you’re kicking us out?"Zac pointed to his watch, reminding them, "You know my rules when it comes to seeing patients."He never liked being disturbed while treating patients. Moreover, those who sought a psychologist often carried pain and experiences beyond what ordinary people could imagine. Privacy was extremely important to them.Seeing the reluctance to leave, Haley spoke up, "There’s a new amusement park nearby. Rachel, want to go?"Rachel’s eyes lit up. "Yes, I love amusement parks!"They quickly agreed and turned to S
Haley nervously shrank back, turning to Shane with a soft, apologetic smile. "I was just kidding, honey. Really.""Is that so?" Shane chuckled, giving her a sidelong glance. "Why do I feel like that's your true feeling?"Shane thought to himself, "What's so great about those young guys anyway? They're weak and lack any real masculinity, even needing women to support them."Haley tugged on his shirt, gently shaking it as she pouted, "It was just a joke. You know you're the only one in my heart."She batted her eyes at him, her gaze sparkling and beautiful, like it could speak volumes.Shane grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his lap with a bit more force. Haley, caught off guard, let out a small yelp as she landed on Shane's thigh lap the next second. Being in such an intimate position in front of everyone made her feel awkward, and she tried to wriggle free. But Shane just held her tighter."Don't move," he murmured, his voice low and husky, as he nipped her earlobe lightly.
Henry chimed in, "I can vouch for that. I asked the doctor when I took Jenny to the hospital a few days ago."Rachel added with a smile, "You know what they say, if you crave sour food, it’s a boy, and if you crave spicy food, it’s a girl. So maybe you’ve got a little princess on the way."Shane appreciated this idea and gave Rachel an approving nod. "Alright, you can have a bit of spicy food tonight."Haley lit up with joy. The group gathered around the backyard barbecue, with the smell of sizzling meat wafting through the air, releasing mouth-watering aromas. As the grill heated up, Shane placed Haley's favorite bbq ribs on the grill. Knowing her preferences, Zac had chosen the best ingredients, ensuring everything was top-notch in both taste and quality.Everyone enjoyed the meal to the fullest. Except for Haley, everyone else raised their glasses. "Even though today isn't a special occasion, our time together is precious. To our future, cheers!"Haley glanced at her glass of
Feeling dejected, Shane suddenly felt a small finger hook around his pinky. He turned to see Haley's eyes sparkling with a smile. She winked at him and mouthed, "I love you most."At that moment, Shane felt as if something had struck his heart. It did not hurt. Instead, it sent a warm, tingling sensation through him. How could his Haley be so wonderful? She always sensed his emotions immediately, even when they were baseless, and she steadfastly reassured him that he was always the most special person in her heart.Moved, Shane grasped Haley's wrist and smiled. Just then, Henry interrupted their moment, tapping his forehead as if he had just remembered something."Oh, I almost forgot to tell you! Jenny and I are getting married. We're planning to register our marriage and have the wedding soon. You all better be there!"Everyone was stunned. "Marriage?""Yes," Henry confirmed, "As Haley once mentioned, Jenny is a girl who lacks a sense of security. I want to give her that
Hearing her name called, Charlotte blinked in confusion, trying to focus on the source of the voice. Her vision blurred, and everything seemed to have double images. The more she tried to see clearly, the more dizzy she felt. "Mr. Zac, you... you’re spinning, it’s making me dizzy," she mumbled, pointing at Zac.Zac sighed, rubbing his forehead, and gently grabbed her arm, leading her to the couch. "How much did you drink?"Charlotte collapsed onto the couch. "I didn’t... didn’t drink much! Just... just a little bit," she said with a silly grin, showing a tiny amount with her fingers.Zac stared at her for a moment and sighed softly. "Well, at least you can still answer questions. You’re not completely out of it.""I’m not drunk, not at all!" Charlotte suddenly stood up and threw herself into Zac's arms.Unprepared, Zac staggered back a couple of steps, his muscles tensing. "What are you doing!"Startled by his shout, Charlotte's eyes quickly filled with tears, her expression pi