"Summer, look at me!" Rose Sanderson grabbed Summer Hartford by the hair, yanking the latter up from the ground. She forced Summer to stare at her.Summer was as thin as a stick, her cheeks gaunt. In the deep of the winter, all she had on her was a thin layer of filthy mental institution patient robe. Like a zombie, she was unresponsive to Rose's actions.Clearly, Rose was unhappy at Summer's lack of response. After six years of meticulous planning, she had finally crushed Summer. She would not be happy until she witnessed Summer in despair."You're dying. Don't you want to meet with Grandpa?" She flashed a malicious smile.The mention of her grandfather finally elicited some response from Summer.Rose clutched Summer's hair with a look of excitement and glee. She hauled Summer to the front of a curtain like she was dealing with the carcass of an animal. Then, she drew back the curtains.Behind the curtain lay an emaciated old man with multiple tubes attached to his body. He seem
"No!"Summer jolted awake from the excruciating pain of being burned alive."What's wrong, Summer?"A familiar face loomed before her. Rose?Summer's eyes wavered. Something wasn't quite right. It had been years since she saw Rose looking barefaced and innocent.She scanned her surroundings quickly and froze. It seemed she had returned to the day before her 18th birthday—six years ago. On that day, Rose took her to a bar to celebrate her birthday.She stared down at her hands, expecting to see them wrinkled and wounded, only to find them looking fair and smooth.It dawned on her that she had traveled back to the start of her tragic life."I've gotten you a glass of lemonade from the bar. Take some lemonade. You'll feel better." Looking concerned, Rose handed Summer a drink.Summer stared at the drink as chills traveled down her spine. In her past life, she recalled blacking out after taking that drink.When she pieced together fragments of her memories, she recounted being
Summer hadn't expected to run into Mason right after she was reborn. The thought of Mason running into the fire to hug her at the final moments of her life made her chest tighten. Pain crashed through her body.Wait a minute. Did Mason walk past the bar street on that fateful night in her past life?She assumed he had heard about the incident because her nudes caused quite a stir back then. If Mason had already fallen in love with her at that time…A wave of pain rolled through her. She stopped herself from thinking further. The footsteps outside slowly receded.Letting out a relieved sigh, Mason loosened his grip on Summer's mouth. Gazing down with a frown, he removed her cap. "Ms. Hartford?"This was the second time Summer heard his voice. He had first addressed her in the fire, saying to her, "I will never leave you alone again."His voice was low and melodious, like an instrument.Staring up at Mason, all she could think of was Rose's cruel remarks during her final moments
Mason had put on a totally different demeanor by now. He looked intimidating and unapproachable. Anyone would freeze in his presence.Without taking a look at Summer, Mason barked a cold command at the man, "Send her home." Then, he entered a Maybach at the forefront of the motorcade.The inconsistency of his behavior confused Summer. Before this, he was cheerful and seductive around her. Why did he act like they were strangers now? Did he suffer from some sort of dissociative identity disorder?"Miss, mind sharing your home address?" the burly man respectfully inquired Summer.She politely turned him down. "It's fine. I'll get a cab home.""That won't do. Please have mercy on me and don't put me in a tight spot. I need to obey Mr. Hunt's orders. If I don't see you home safely, I might as well be damned!" The man put on a serious look.Feeling speechless, Summer deliberated for a bit before entering the car. Firstly, Mason would not harm her. Secondly, it was unsafe for a woman t
Rose received a call from Anthony when she was in the shower.Anthony's family was in the hardware supply business. Although he wasn't considered one of the wealthiest guys, he was at least good-looking and ambitious. Rose was quite fond of him and picked him to carry out her plan of taking over Hartford Group.His call sent her into panic mode. She knew him too well. He'd definitely turn up his nose at her if he found out she had been gang-raped!Rose decided to keep it a secret from Anthony. She quickly regained her composure and answered his call in a coquettish manner, "Anthony, have you found Summer?""She's back at the Hartford residence," he replied grimly. "I lost touch with that hooligan I hired."Of course, he couldn't get in touch with that hooligan because that guy had snapped his SIM card in half in front of Summer."How did that happen?" Rose's eyes were filled with shock. She thought she had spiked Summer's drink with a strong dosage. Summer couldn't have possibly
Kristen was an award-winning actress before she married Luke. People had described her looks in this way—heart-stopping and breathtakingly beautiful.Many lamented her decision to retire when she was at the peak of her career. She might be near her 50s, but she looked like she was in her late 20s."Mom, are you free today? I can't get in touch with Rose. Can you go with me to shop for a dress for my birthday party instead? I know you have great taste, and you'll definitely pick the best dress for me," Summer asked Kristen sweetly. She did not want to miss out on the chance to repair her relationship with Kristen.Kristen shot her a shocked expression. It had been a few years since Summer called her "Mom".Henry and Luke appeared stunned as well. Their eyes darted between the mother and daughter. Despite feeling awkward, Kristen agreed to the invitation with a grunt.In the past, Summer would have flown into a rage at Kristen's nonchalant attitude. However, she was excited to g
The birthday party was a luxurious and breathtaking affair. Everyone knew Henry very much doted on Summer, his only granddaughter. More than once, he had formally declared his intention to let her inherit Hartford Group.Thus, it went without saying that no expense was spared for her 18th birthday party, much to the envy of the many heiresses and socialites in attendance.Soon, the party began. When Summer appeared on Henry's arm, she instantly captivated everyone with her beauty. All eyes fell on her, and no one could tear their eyes away. She was far too beautiful.Some of the socialites who had met Summer on other occasions started whispering among themselves."That's Summer? Did she get some work done? She didn't look like that the last time I saw her!""I bet she got plastic surgery. She probably even bleached her skin, too. She definitely didn't look that fair the last time. Her skin was so dull and sallow-looking. Look at her now! Her skin looks flawless!""Where did she g
Once the guests were gone, Henry turned grim."What on earth is going on? Robin, find the person who changed Summer's birthday video at once. I don't care what the mastermind's goal is. I'll make whoever it is pay for ruining my precious Summer's 18th birthday party!""Yes, Mr. Hartford Senior!" Robin Cohen, a hulking man with a fearsome expression, replied.Henry had brought Robin back from a human trafficking ring over two decades ago. Apparently, Robin had been trained since childhood to be an assassin, but Henry took him in as a godson. Having grown up in such a harsh environment, Robin had a rather cold personality. He listened to no one but Henry and was loyal to him alone.Summer wasn't sure what happened to Robin in the previous lifetime, but had he been alive, he probably wouldn't have allowed anyone to torment Henry to that extent.Once Robin left, Henry looked over at Summer and saw the sorrowful expression on her face. He instinctively assumed she was worried about R
"Are we… even that close?" Puzzled, Summer questioned Anthony, putting him on the spot.The smile froze on his face.Arms crossed, she took a step back. "Anthony, do you have a crush on me or what?" Scanning him from head to toe, she sneered. "If that's true, you should target someone else. You're nowhere close to my ideal type. I'm not into gentlemen, but Rose is." Anthony's expression stiffened. "Summer, there's a misunderstanding here. I'm just amazed at your intelligence and your academic performance, and I would like to befriend you.""I will never be friends with Rose's boyfriends." She shrugged, sending a wave of panic through Anthony.He tried to explain himself, but Phoebe, rushing down the stairs, interrupted them by exclaiming, "Ms. Hartford, you're up!"Anthony clenched his jaw and held his tongue. Ignoring him, Summer approached Phoebe with a smile. "What's for breakfast?""All your favorite dishes!" Phoebe gave Anthony a side-eye. "Mr. Lawson, why are you here?
"You should stop Summer if you knew she'd hurt me!" Rose panicked. The last thing she wanted was to be "exiled" to a foreign country. Who knew what drastic change would happen to Summer when she was not around?"Rose Sanderson, you're the one who made a mistake here. If Summer wants to hurt you because of it, you only have two options—run away or bear with it." Kristen was unusually stern. "It's my job as Summer's mom to protect her. Not only did I not take it out on you, but I even offered you the chance to study abroad for your mother's sake. Do not test my limits!"Her last remark drove a knife into Rose's chest. "It's my job as Summer's mom to protect her"—these impactful words repeatedly played in Rose's mind. For the longest time, Kristen was nice to Rose and cold to Summer to the point where Rose nearly forgot that Kristen was first and foremost Summer's mother."Got it." A long silence later, Rose stopped crying. She wiped away her tears and stood up."Please hand the l
It took Rose a while to wrap her head around the situation. Staring at Kristen in disbelief, she whimpered, "Aunt Kristen, why… Why did you slap me?""You know very well why I slapped you," barked Kristen."Is it because I have my suspicions about Summer?" Sobbing, Rose questioned, "Can't I even suspect her? I didn't even tell a soul about it except you. How is that wrong? Do you expect me to bring it to my grave?""Enough!" Kristen would not have it anymore. "Rose, do you take us for fools?"Rose cried and cried. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"Kristen took a deep breath to calm herself. "Remember that time a classmate called you to tell you that it was Summer who hired the men to assault you? Write down his name and his contact number."Taken aback, Rose swiftly shook her head. "But he truly cares about me! I will never tell on him!""Is that the truth, or is it because that alleged classmate did not exist in the first place?" Kristen coldly pressed on. "I've looke
"Dad, Mason Hunt is a busy man. He has no time to pull that off," Luke dismissed Henry's wild guess in exasperation."Let's make a bet. I bet Mr. Sutton will disappear before he even arrives at the police station!" Henry put on a serious face. "If that's the case, we can confirm that Mason was behind this, and I won't go easy on him!"Summer sighed softly at Henry's hostility toward Mason. Still, Mason wouldn't have volunteered to send Ivan to the police without a good reason. She suspected that Ivan might not survive to see another day.…Late at night, Mason emerged from an alley while wiping his hands with a flat expression.Kyle was waiting for him by the car. When he showed up, Kyle opened the car door for him.Mason stepped into the car and ordered, "Find every single one of the people in this recording."Head lowered, he sent an audio recording to Kyle. Kyle grunted. "Sure!""Get someone to send that thing in the alley to the police." A cold glint appeared across Mason
Luke said sternly to Rose, "Talk normally. Get up."Henry still looked upset, but he didn't say anything harsh. He commanded Rose in a heavy tone, "Write down the names of Summer's bullies that you know of!"Rose agreed immediately, "I'll do that right now!"Kristen interjected, "I'll go with you."Seeing Rose sniffling, Kristen comforted her, "Stop crying."Rose sobbed and nodded before leaving the living room with Kristen.Meanwhile, Summer whispered to Henry, "Grandpa, don't be mad. I promise I won't do that anymore. No one has been bullying me at school these days.""That's because Robin has been dropping you off and picking you up every day!" Luke reminded her gruffly.Henry seemed heartbroken. "I should have made Robin do that from the start!""Mr. Cohen is capable of more, so he shouldn't be driving me around." Amused, Summer reassured Henry, "Trust me, Grandpa. I'm really good at handling the bullies now."In Henry's eyes, Summer was a fragile girl who had to be prote
Summer's chest tightened. The rage and pain in Henry's eyes reminded her of the time he protested against her decision to marry Anthony. She seemed to have traveled back to that moment in her past life."I'm sorry." She nearly suffered a breakdown. Clasping Henry's hand tightly, she promised, "I will not do that again. I was wrong. Grandpa, I'm sorry."Henry teared up as well. He was a strict father to Luke. Having never raised a daughter, he was a little flustered when he welcomed the birth of Summer. Staring at the wrinkly baby, he wondered how to raise her right.Later, he learned that a girl should be raised in the best environment so that she wouldn't easily fall for those who promised her good things. Keeping that in mind, he offered Summer the best of everything.Hence, he was devastated to learn from Ivan that Summer was bullied in school. He realized he had failed to protect the poor girl."You're the heiress of Hartford Group. How could a girl with that background get bu
"Are you talking about the bullying?" asked Summer.Rose's face was fraught with anxiety. "Summer, it's not that serious. Everyone's just fooling around. Downplay it later—you don't want to get everyone's parents involved. "You knew how much Grandpa loves you. I can't imagine the lengths he would go to for you."Summer smiled at Rose. "So, you're worried about our classmates. I thought you would be more worried for yourself. Grandpa might blame you for keeping the truth."Rose's face was drained of color. That was her main concern for sure. She couldn't care less about the fates of Summer's arrogant bullies at school.She was more worried the Hartfords would look into the school bullying. What if they found out about her involvement—that she had often gathered girls to bully Summer?She would be done for!"Didn't I tell you to keep it a secret from Grandpa?" whispered Rose. "Don't spew nonsense later. Grandpa, Uncle Luke, and Aunt Kristen looked at me differently after your sli
"Who did it?" Henry was utterly incensed. He grabbed Ivan by the collar and lifted him up from the floor.Although Henry looked kind, he was a tough nut, which was how he built his business empire.Ivan was intimidated by him. Still, he gathered his courage and tried to negotiate with Henry, "I will tell you if you promise to let me off the hook!"Henry did not reply. He stared intently at Ivan, sending a shiver down the latter's spine.Moments later, Henry said to Ivan, "You attacked my granddaughter, ignored her pleas for help, and protected her bullies. Do you think I will forgive you? I will learn about the bullying, even if you didn't tell me."With that, he shoved Ivan onto the floor hard. Ivan grimaced when his broken leg collided against the decorative rocks in the yard.Henry entered the house with a sullen face. He briefly glanced at Rose, making her tremble.Although Henry was nice to her during her stay at the Hartford residence, she had heard a lot of tales about
"Don't—" Ivan's panic deepened when Summer showed him no mercy. Yet, she had left.He scrambled over to Henry. "Mr. Hartford Senior, believe me when I say it was a bad decision. I was angry at Summer because she's been giving me trouble at school. That's why I lost it and acted on my emotions. "Please forgive me. I've been her homeroom teacher for years. I'll do anything for your forgiveness!""You should consider yourself lucky that I didn't beat you up after you hurt my granddaughter. How dare you ask for my forgiveness?" Henry sneered as Ivan became increasingly nervous.Suddenly, Ivan noticed Rose, who was standing on the side. "Rose, I have been good to you. Speak up for me! I made a mistake."Rose nearly rolled her eyes at him. She wasn't that dumb to speak up for him, especially when Henry was shaking in anger.Henry bellowed, "No use getting anyone to speak up for you! Robin, get him out of here! What an eyesore!"Robin went forward, grabbed Ivan by the collar, and drag