"No one else has to stay, but you can't leave!" Wendy's voice rang out sharply.The woman looked at Luke with a pitiful expression. "I was just talking with my friend about Ms. Middleton and casually said a few things. I didn't mean to offend her.""So now you're saying I'm overreacting?" Wendy's eyes flashed with disdain as the woman suddenly turned meek in front of Luke. "Why don't you repeat those comments you made about Mr. Walker, word for word, right here?""I… I didn't mean it like that…" The woman knew full well that Luke was a partner at JL Capital, someone with power and influence. What she'd said was truly out of line, and she feared Luke would take the matter seriously. She quickly apologized again, "I'm sorry, Mr. Walker, I'm sorry, Ms. Middleton. I was just rambling nonsense earlier. Please don't take it personally."Wendy rolled her eyes, unimpressed. "You're about to cry? How boring."Her words were a clear signal that she was ready to drop the issue. I turned to t
"If you really want to join the executive office, I'll find a way to help.""Sweetheart, I was just playing the part of someone obsessed with Luke's looks, and you agreed so quicklyWendy shot me a skeptical glance mixed with disbelief. "Sweetheart, I was just pretending to be infatuated with Luke's appearance, and you immediately agreed. If Luke were to hear that, it would break his heart!""Wendy, Luke and I have nothing more than a professional relationship as boss and employee."Wendy always attempted to matchmake Luke and me, and her playful teasing only served to fuel the feelings I harbored for him. I feared that these budding emotions would take root and grow stronger over time. To prevent that, I constantly reminded myself and others that Luke and I were merely colleagues."Well, for now," she replied.I sighed.Wendy remained convinced that something could develop between Luke and me, despite my explanations falling on deaf ears. Just as I was about to change the subje
Once, Henry took Sarah and little Wendy to a party. However, things took a turn when Wendy got into a fight with another child over a cake. In the heat of the moment, Wendy ended up smearing the cake all over the other child's face. Sarah tried to intervene, but when her efforts failed, she calmly asked Wendy to apologize after hearing what happened.Wendy, still fuming, said, "I saw the panda cake first! He tried to snatch it from me!""But you wanted the Snow White cake at first. I just mentioned the panda cake was cute, and that's why you—""Yeah, you said it was cute, but that doesn't mean it's yours! I grabbed it first, so it's mine! And since you wanted it so badly, I'm giving it to you now!" Wendy proudly puffed out her chest.The other child's parents were infuriated by Wendy's smugness and words. "It would have been fine if you had just kept the cake, but smearing it on someone's face is rude! This child clearly lacks manners."Feeling responsible for Wendy's behavior, Sa
"Wendy, Wendy, what are you doing?" Sarah screamed.The commotion alarmed the housemaids, who rushed into the room.They were terrified when they saw Sarah lying on the floor, and one of them hurried over to help. "Madam, let me help you up.""Don't tell Mr. Smith it was Wendy who pushed me," Sarah said weakly.The maids had only seen Sarah on the floor and hadn't noticed Wendy. But Sarah's words immediately made them fearful of Wendy, a little girl who, in their eyes, had become a ruthless child who cared nothing for others.Just then, Henry came home.When he heard what had happened, he took Sarah to the hospital. After ensuring she was alright, he returned home and gave Wendy a brutal beating.That beating left Wendy covered in bruises, not a single spot on her body left untouched. She was bedridden for over two weeks before she could even get up.During that time, she felt utterly abandoned. The only interaction she had was with the maids who brought her meals three times a
At the time, Wendy was just a spoiled four-year-old. She was starving, and aside from the cold food on her bedside table, there was nothing else for her to eat. She couldn’t hold out any longer and, between sobs and curses, she forced herself to eat.The food tasted nothing like the delicious meals she used to enjoy. Each bite felt like chewing on wax, bland and tasteless, making it difficult to swallow.During that period, Wendy lost weight rapidly. Her once fair and chubby face became gaunt and pale, her skin taking on a sickly yellow hue. Her once shiny hair had turned dry and brittle, resembling straw.Her injuries made it impossible for her to leave the bed and go to the bathroom, so she had no choice but to relieve herself in bed. The maids, tired of her tantrums, only cleaned up half-heartedly, leaving her room to reek of filth. In her words, she felt like trash thrown into a dump, left to rot.Years later, when she recounted this experience to me in a calm voice, all I co
"You're just too soft-hearted," the voice on the other end of the line sweetly laughed. "Kids are fragile. Who knows what might happen while she's 'recovering'?""The Smith family is big and prestigious, but that child has been spoiled rotten. She's a ticking time bomb, ready to embarrass the family at any moment. Henry is obsessed with keeping up appearances. If something were to happen to her, he might be upset at first, but eventually, he'd probably feel relieved."Sarah's words hit Wendy like a gut punch, shocking her back to reality.That day in the bathroom, Wendy hadn't pushed Sarah. Sarah, the one who fell, should have known exactly what happened—she had slipped on her own. Wendy had hoped that Sarah, even if others misunderstood, would clear her name. But hearing Sarah's conversation now, Wendy's world crumbled completely.For weeks, Wendy endured cold stares, harsh words, and isolation. She finally realized that Sarah would never come to her defense.Without a sound, Wen
Henry gently placed the drawing back into the book before reaching out to softly stroke Wendy's cheek.Wendy had become incredibly sensitive after everything she had been through. Even the slightest movement would wake her, and the moment she sensed her father's presence, she knew he had come to check on her. The memory of the severe beating he had given her after Sarah's fall had haunted her ever since, leaving deep emotional scars.Afraid of being scolded if she opened her eyes, Wendy pretended to be asleep, keeping them tightly shut.But she was still young and not very good at acting. Henry quickly realized she was awake and pulled his hand back, standing up to leave.Once the door quietly closed behind him, Wendy's lips quivered in silent pain. She began to cry softly, keeping her sobs low and stifled so as not to disturb anyone.Henry hadn't gone far, and in the stillness of the night, her quiet sobs reached his ears, amplifying the faint sound. It stirred something in his h
During that time, Wendy lived in constant fear. Every little noise made her jump, and cold sweat would break out all over her body. There were moments when she wanted to confront her bullies head-on, but she was terrified they would turn the tables and accuse her of being the aggressor.When she was at her lowest, unsure how to escape the torment, her uncle, who had been living abroad, returned to visit her. He immediately noticed the bruises on her body. After asking her what had happened, he gathered evidence and took her straight to confront Henry.The confrontation almost led to a falling out between her uncle and Henry, as her uncle even threatened to fight for custody. Henry, upon seeing the evidence of what Wendy had endured at school, was heartbroken. He quickly transferred her to a new school and donated two buildings to the institution.Because of those donations, Wendy finally experienced a normal school life, and she learned an important lesson: in order to survive, she