“Let go.” Heidi's heart raced and she pushed at his chest. “You- How did you…?” She trailed off, her chest heaving up and down heavily from the sudden attack. “You found the real jewel thief. On your knees, now.” Heidi took in a deep breath, feeling gravely suffocated by his alarming presence. “Lucas Harrison, how did you swap the jewelry?” “Wasn't it easy?” Lucas said mockingly, and Heidi's mind wired back to the moment she stepped foot into the mansion. Lucas had appeared out of nowhere, pinned her against the wall the way he was doing now, and even made advances at her, while Heidi fought him relentlessly. That was the reason why she didn't appear at the birthday hall in time. Was that when he swapped the jewelry? Heidi didn't need to ask, because the answer was obvious. “How did you know it was Stella's doing?” “Maybe you should ask yourself what gave you the idea that I would steal the jewelry from you,” Lucas responded sarcastically. Heidi's guilt returned. Kn
“Lucas Harrison, let me go!” Heidi glowered, her voice low and vengeful. “In your dreams.” Footsteps came from the left, and Tracy emerged from Lucas's room. Tracy stilled for some seconds before rushing towards the couple. “Heidi, it's you again?” Tracy stepped between Heidi and Lucas, widening her eyes with fear. “What brought you here? Are you here to cause trouble?” The insecurities in Tracy's eyes didn't miss Heidi's scrutiny. Shaking her head, her lips curled into a disdainful smile. “I'm not here for trouble, but someone obviously is. Why don't you reign him in, Tracy? He claims you're the only woman in his heart, but he's chasing after other women and messing around.” Tracy looked from the stoic man to Heidi. She shook her head in disbelief. “No, Heidi. I know what you're trying to do. You will never succeed in driving a wedge between me and Lucas. I don't believe you.” “That's your business.” Rolling her eyes, Heidi threw Lucas a last glare and left. Tracy's fin
Inside Lucas's Room. Tracy sat beside him on the couch, pulling the man, who seemed to be in a trance, out of his thoughts. “Lucas, I wonder if Grandpa Winston is no longer mad at me. Can I go see him now?” “No. Grandpa isn't in a good mood tonight.” After witnessing Grandpa Winston's fluctuating mood, Lucas didn't think it was a good idea. “I- I understand.” Tracy dropped her head, sighing softly. “Heidi's here, and Grandpa might compare us.” “Lucas, do you remember this cup?” She unboxed an antique wooden cup outlined with nature patterns. “I do. Grandpa would drink from its type when we were young.” “This is made from a unique oak. I urged Dad to travel to the mountains and beg the ancient carver to make it. Isn't it amazing that it looks exactly the same as Grandpa's old one?” She let out a soft laugh, staring at the cup with sad eyes. “To rekindle old memories, I bought this with a lot of money. I hope Grandpa will like it. Grandpa doesn't want to see me, Lucas. Can y
His demeanor shifted. Stiffening for a while, he looked sideways at her, his eyes filled with confusion, anger, as well as disbelief.“Fine. Don't be late.”“I won't.” Heidi walked past him, not glancing back for once. The tension inside the room was impalpable. Lucas's dark eyes were glued to her back. For a long time, he stood there. Even after her figure had disappeared out of the mansion, he didn't move as if in a daze. Blake Harrison stood on the balcony of his room, his eyes fixed on his wristwatch.Not long after, one of the bodyguards appeared. “Where is she?” Blake's low voice was filled with impatience.The bodyguard hung his head. “I apologize. I wasn't able to capture her, Master.”“What did you say!?” Blake snapped. “That girl was in this mansion, right under your nose. How did you not seize the opportunity?”“It's the Young Master. He was with her. While she left, the Young Master was watching her, so we couldn't do anything.”Hearing the bodyguard's explanation onl
…At StriveStyle Co. The next morning.Isla hurried up to Heidi while she removed some documents from her bag, dropping them on the desk. “Ms. Olsen, bad news. The board of directors are here again.”“What do they want?” Heidi arranged the documents then turned off her computer. “Well, they demand an urgent meeting, Ms. Olsen,” Isla said, looking exasperated. “I think they're here to make things difficult for you just like last time.”Heidi also thought the same. “I'm busy right now. Reschedule the meeting to another day.”“It's the board of directors.”“Is the president present?”“No, Mr. Zach Olsen didn't come,” Isla replied.“Since that's the case, just convey my order.”Isla feared the outcome of the meeting, but not as much as she feared her boss turning down a meeting with the board of directors. Heidi got to her feet and hung the bag over her shoulder, checking her wristwatch. “You seem to be in a hurry. Are you off somewhere, Ms. Olsen?”“Yes, I'll be back soon. If somethi
… At an unknown location… The night was gradually settling in, the chilly evening wind breezing through the open windows. Bundled up in a corner with both hands tightened with a rope, Heidi opened her eyes to the indistinct voices of men.Large men wearing dark clothes with masks… why did they look familiar? “What should we do with her when she wakes up?”“Master hasn't given any instruction yet.”“Why don't we just get rid of her?”“I don't think it will settle well with the master. Let's wait for his instruction.”“We can just kill her and throw her inside the sea.”“Why are you so eager to kill her?”As the masked men conversed among themselves, Heidi became widely awake, alarmingly aware of her surroundings. Listening to their discussion, a sudden anxiety gripped her chest. The men were so busy arguing with each other that they didn't notice that she was awake.Heidi let the fear seep in, pulling rein on her emotions in order not to give herself out.Calming down her erratic
…At The Olsens Mansion. While the family ate dinner, Grandpa Jeffery couldn't touch his food. His face wrinkled with worry and this nagging feeling inside his chest wouldn't go away. “Why hasn't Heidi returned yet?” Grandpa Jeffery glanced at the clock. “She doesn't usually stay outside this late.”“Who knows? Maybe she's wandered off somewhere, and-”Grandpa Jeffery shut Lilian up with a glare. Bringing out his phone, he dialed a number. “Where is Heidi, John? Why haven't you guys returned yet?”“Uhm, Master.” As if he had been lurking outside, John immediately walked in and appeared before everyone. “You! You're already back?” Grandpa Jeffery frowned. “Where is Heidi?”“Erm, Master… The Young Miss…”“Speak properly!” Grandpa Jeffery snapped. John hung his head and explained with guilt. “I- I waited for a long time outside the company, but she didn't come out. When I went inside, her assistant told me she left in the morning and hadn't returned since then.”“Where were you whe
At that time of the night, the street was empty, devoid of many people. Lucas's driver scurried out of the car and quickly got between both men. “Mr. Harrison, Mr. Olsen, please calm down. Consider your reputation. What if someone sees.”The driver managed to separate them, and Lucas straightened up his collar, giving Zach a deadly look.“Heidi and I have a tangible relationship, while you're just an insignificant lover. What made you think you have the right to question her whereabouts?”“Damnit!” Zach yelled. “Lucas Harrison, will you bring her out or not? You're always causing trouble for Heidi, it's no surprise that you would decide to kidnap her.”“Whatever I do is none of your business. Back off, Zach Olsen. Or you'll regret it.”Lucas's eyes were blazing with so much anger, that the driver feared for the destruction of both men. Because Zach Olsen also looked madly enraged.“How about I make you regret it first?” Zach rolled up his sleeves, pushing the driver out of the way.