Kristeen, who was in the top bunk next to Sheena, added, "We're not even using your stuff.""Why are you making so much noise? Can't you let me sleep?" One of the girls woke up and turned, pulling a blanket over her head.Jadie reassured Claire, "It's okay. Really. They've already used it. Don't worry about it. My brother will get me more if I run out."In the dim light, it was hard to tell what expression Jadie had. But from the way she spoke, it seemed like she wasn't upset, so the matter was dropped. Everyone knew Jadie as someone who didn't get into arguments much and was generally easygoing.Jadie took out a few new skincare products from under the cabinet and handed them to Claire. "You can have these. Think of it as a gift. Don't be mad anymore.""I can't take these. They're too expensive!""Shh, let's not wake them up again."Jadie got her clothes and went to the bathroom. After a quick shower, she changed into her pajamas. By the time Claire came back from brushing her
Madelyn stared at the mess of food scattered on the floor, her brow furrowing in confusion. She wondered, 'What is he doing now?' She gave Forrest a disapproving look and asked, "Forrest, what are you even up to?" As she bent down to pick up her lunchbox, Forrest kicked it again, making it slip from her grasp.In a swift motion, Forrest grabbed Madelyn by her collar, lifting her up and pinning her against the wall with force. His intense gaze locked onto hers, his grip on her collar tightening as he angrily demanded, "What the hell did you say?"The corner of the windowsill pressed into Madelyn's back uncomfortably, but she kept her steady gaze on Forrest. She inquired, "What exactly are you trying to say?"Forrest's narrow eyes radiated an icy coldness. He hissed, "Jadie got hurt because of your big mouth. She's in the hospital now. You claimed she's your sister, right? Is this how you treat family, Madelyn Jent? Instead of sneaking around, why don't you say it to my face? If somet
The first people that crossed Madelyn's mind when she thought about who might be responsible for Jadie's incident were Michelle, Jenny, and Lorrie. She couldn't think of anyone else, especially after her previous arguments with them.The three girls were touching up their makeup in the women's restroom. They straightened their ties as they smirked. At the same time, Michelle was humming a cheerful song."You seem to be in a good mood today," Lorrie commented."I am," Michelle raised her skirt and uttered with a smile.Jenny chimed in, "Did you guys check out the pictures I posted in the group?""Yeah. I'm delighted with the outcome. Keep up the hard work, Jenny," said Michelle.Jenny wiped off the excess lipstick from the corners of her mouth and continued, "I've been annoyed with Madelyn from the start. I would've had someone teach her a lesson that day if it wasn't for her good-looking brother."Michelle turned around, leaning against the sink. "You mean that distant, handsome
Zach's phone buzzed with a call from the school, alerting him to Jadie's situation. He excused himself from his ongoing meeting and handed over the reins to Kevin before rushing to the hospital.Jadie lay on the hospital bed at SereneCare Hospital, a IV tube connected to her hand, her complexion pale. Seeing Zach, she looked like a guilt-ridden child unsure of how to face him. She lowered her gaze and mumbled, "Z-Zach... I'm sorry for causing you trouble again."Zach saw the injury on Jadie's face, a subtle glint of coldness flickering within them. "What did the doctor say?" he inquired."They said I'll be okay. Just some scratches. He told me to take painkillers if I feel any physical discomfort and I'll be fine."A woman in her thirties entered the room, holding a medical chart. "You must be Jadie's brother," she stated.Zach recognized the woman. She was Marissa Selman. They met during the school registration day. "Yeah, I am," he replied."Come with me. I have something to te
Zach's phone began to vibrate in the hushed hospital room. He retrieved the device from his pocket and saw that it was a call from Hayson. Stepping out of the room, he answered the call, his voice calm but respectful, "Father...""Madelyn got into trouble at school. Go see what's going on!" Hayson sounded a little angry."Madelyn? Okay... Got it." Zach's tone was soft, but his face was solemn. After Hayson hung up the phone, Zach realized he couldn't leave Jadie alone at the hospital, so he called Kevin."Mr. Jardin," Kevin answered promptly."How much longer until your meeting concludes?" Zach inquired."The meeting just ended," Kevin replied."Head over to Ventrocloud High School immediately.""Has Ms. Jent gotten into trouble again?""Once you've resolved the situation, bring her back to the apartment.""Alright, Mr. Jardin."'Not again. Ms. Jent seems to be a magnet for trouble. Dealing with her antics is becoming a recurring task. She caused a major deal to fall through
"I thought someone else would be here. Where's Hayson Jent, Mr. Harrison? His daughter beat my daughter up, and you're the one who showed up? Are we unworthy of him coming down here in person?""It's not like that. I was asked to come and resolve the situation. I'd like to apologize on behalf of Ms. Jent's behavior. Mr. Jent assured that we would do our best to address everything that has transpired."Kevin noticed that Madelyn had a deep scratch on her face and her disheveled appearance. The other three girls were also far from unscathed.Typically, it was Zach who appeared whenever Madelyn got into trouble, but this time, Kevin was the one who came. 'He must be with Jadie right now,' thought Madelyn. 'She got hurt, after all. Zach must be heartbroken.'"Compensate? With money? And you're saying Hayson cares about this? Ha! Azure Corporation is a pathetic enterprise. Tell Mr. Jent that unless he comes here right now and offers a personal apology, kneeling before me, I'll have my
The bystanders appeared stunned by the shocking revelation, and a tense atmosphere enveloped the conference room. Even Michelle struggled to comprehend the startling information. "Don't spew unfounded accusations, Madelyn."Madelyn looked at her and everyone's expressions indifferently.Both the Lampreys and the Luperts did not dare to say a word."Would you like me to go into more detail?" Madelyn asked."Shut up! That's enough! How dare you threaten me, Madelyn? How much did Hayson tell you?!" Mrs. Linney suddenly exclaimed."Oh God, it's true!" Jenny said as she covered her mouth. Her mom also covered her mouth and shot her a fierce glance.The Linney family was more powerful than the other two of the three families present. They were just there for support.Michelle looked at the person beside her in disbelief and said, "Mom, why don't I know about this? Is it true that a child died? How did you resolve this matter? Why would you drive while you were drunk, Mom? I... I don't
Ethan's assistant entered the principal's office and told them everything that had happened in the conference room, word for word. Everyone except for Madelyn was there. "...And that's what happened, Mr. Arnold."Ethan nodded, and his assistant stepped aside. Suddenly, the atmosphere became cold. The girls' mothers sat on the couch, not daring to speak. Ethan's aura exerted pressure on everyone present."I want to see signatures on those contracts in half an hour.""Yes, Mr. Arnold," said Leyton—Ethan's new assistant.The moment he had left his house, Ethan had made up his mind to reclaim what was rightfully his.'It's the only way I can protect her.'No one dared to speak at that time. The women did not know why Ethan would want to meet them, especially since they were not in charge of their husbands' companies."Mr. Arnold, I have no say in the company's business, but... May I know why you're terminating the contract?" One of the women asked in a weak voice."That's not a que
Liam was standing in the rain, and though it hadn't been long, he was thoroughly drenched.Blake quickly pulled him close, her voice laced with concern. "Are you crazy? It's pouring rain! What if you catch a cold?"Liam's look was subdued, his face showing signs of fatigue. "I'm okay. This is for you; I didn't want you to have to come out in this weather."As Blake took in his forlorn appearance, her heart softened suddenly. 'Am I losing my mind?' she thought."Now you'll have to pay more attention to me, Blake... I was just so scared of losing you. I've put everything I have into getting you to agree to marry me; the idea of you walking away is unbearable."Overwhelmed with emotion, Blake locked eyes with him. "Did she teach you to say that too?" she asked, her hand moving on its own to brush away the raindrops from his hair.A maid nearby, observing the scene, rushed over with a blanket and an umbrella. However, Grace, fully grasping the gravity of the moment, halted her. Ackno
Cecilia said, "It's fine. Let's give them a week. Rearrange the flight and all the plans for the trip. This is Blake's first time getting married and going abroad for honeymoon. I want to make sure she has a good time."Susan nodded. "Okay, Ms. Samford."Not long after Cecilia left, three editors who used to work for Olivia's company entered her office. All of them spoke in panic, "Ms. Blue, what should we do? Ms. Samford already knows everything. If the legal department finds out about it, will we go to jail?"Olivia remained calm as she said, "Don't panic. Just focus on your work.""But we got into this company through you. What if they say we got into this company through the back door and then fired us?"Olivia sat at her desk, supporting her forehead with her hands. She was obviously panicking. "Don't worry, I'll handle this."You guys can leave now."Olivia did not expect this matter to be exposed so soon. She wondered how Cecilia found out about it. 'Could it be that she'
StartReading Literary was the last place Cecilia wanted to be. But she made an exception this time.Olivia had just finalized a cooperative copyright deal with another website company. Several editors from her own company were there at StartReading Literary. As she entered the office, she saw all the editors from StartReading Literary sitting upright, not daring to make a sound.She also saw her office door was wide open. She frowned as she walked into her office and was surprised to see an unexpected gust.Olivia put down the documents in her hand. "Ms. Samford, what brings you here?"With her legs crossed and Susan standing behind her, Cecilia stared at Olivia, who was in front of her.Cecilia sneered and stood up. She ran her fingers along the desk. "StartReading is actually the last place I want to be. I came here because I found out that you enjoy meddling in other people's affairs. Otherwise, you wouldn't even qualify to see me."Olivia instantly looked wary. She remained s
Liam stood up. He watched as Blake, who looked weary, walked away. "Blake, what do you want me to do so you'll like me?"Blake did not stop walking. Instead, she took even bigger steps and left.She went to the Harper residence, which surprised everyone.Grace asked, "Blake? Why did you come back here? Where's Liam? Why didn't he come back with you?"Blake stuttered, unable to find the words. She just made up an excuse, saying, "It's nothing. I just wanted to come back."After Hannah and Yael left the wedding last night, they went back to the research institute.As for Simon, he went to the farm to manage the business.After Blake went to her room, Grace became worried. She followed her and saw her sitting with a blank expression in the room, not knowing what to do.When Blake saw Grace, she quickly adjusted her mood. "Grace, why are you here?""I came to check on you. Blake, what's wrong? Did you have a fight with Liam? You just had your wedding yesterday, and you're already
The pregnancy test report came out fifteen minutes after Blake did the test. She was indeed pregnant. She was even seven weeks pregnant.Blake had indeed been involved with Kevin while in Northern Myanmar over a month ago.She held the medical report while standing bewildered in the cold hospital corridor. Lights shone through the floor-to-ceiling window onto her body, but all Blake felt was the cold, which made her hands and feet numb.She was lost in her thoughts. 'I'm really pregnant. What should I do with this baby? I want it to be born more than anyone else. But now, everything has changed. This child shouldn't come into this world.'She wandered in the corridor. Suddenly, she saw someone coming out of another gynecological room.She thought, 'Some things are just destined by fate. When I long to see him, even catching a glimpse of him in a dream feels like a luxury, an unattainable wish. But now, when I don't want to see him, it seems he appears everywhere I go.'Kevin supp
Blake wondered, 'I'm now pregnant with Kevin's child. What should I do?'She woke up groggily when she felt someone carry her. She opened her heavy eyelids and asked, "What time is it now?"Liam responded, "It's four-thirty in the morning. It's still early; go back to sleep for a while more."Blake said in a hoarse voice, "I've made an appointment for an abortion at eight o'clock. Regardless of whether I'm really pregnant or not, I don't want to keep this child."She had thought about it all night and believed this was the best decision.Kevin was going to get engaged. Blake believed he would get married and Audrey would give birth to his children. There was simply no need for her to complicate things further.She thought, 'If I choose to be selfish and decide to keep this baby, and if people find out about it, my child will be treated as an illegitimate child. I don't even dare to imagine how badly the child will be treated.'If giving birth to the baby will bring it a lifetime
Blake continued, "What about you, Liam? Do you mind?"If you do, you can choose to divorce me. After all, I've wronged you. No one wants to marry a woman who's carrying someone else's child."Liam stepped forward on the shattered cup and hugged her tightly. "I don't mind. Blake, I love you, including everything about you. I don't mind your past. I just want to start over with you. I didn't tell you about the pregnancy because I was selfish; I wanted to keep you by my side."Blake, your child is my child. I want to raise the baby with you."Don't leave me, okay?"Blake did not know why, but she was not surprised by her pregnancy. However, she felt that there were still some things that she could not let go of, though she was unsure what those were.She was not as calm as she had imagined.She thought about her past events. Then, she indifferently said, "Liam, I don't want this child. Since I'm prepared to be with you, I won't keep this child. It wouldn't be fair to you."Liam di
On this romantic night, the moon was obscured by the clouds.Breathing heavily, Blake felt some pain in her abdomen. She asked to stop. "Liam, my stomach hurts. I think I'm going to have my period soon."Liam sobered up instantly. "I'll go get you some medicine."She peeked out from under the blanket as the bedside lamp turned on. She could clearly see Liam's naked upper body. Her face flushed as she averted her gaze. "It's fine. Just help me call the front desk and ask them to bring up a pack of sanitary pads. I'll go to the bathroom to deal with it."Liam replied, "Let's go to the hospital tomorrow for a check-up."Blake picked up her clothes from the floor and went to the bathroom. "It's okay. It's probably just my period."However, judging by the blood flowing out, it did not seem like menstrual blood to Blake. It looked like something else.Blake's voice came from the bathroom again. "I think we should go to the hospital."She sat on the toilet and watched the tall, slende
Blake had no bridesmaids, so she returned to the hotel room alone. As she stepped out of the elevator and was ready to use the room key card in her hand to swipe and enter the room, she suddenly saw a figure appear from the corner of her eye.She stopped her action and looked at the person who had left the wedding earlier.At that moment, Blake felt her breath catch, but it was only fleeting. She then quickly regained her composure and averted her gaze. She asked, "Didn't you leave? Why are you still here?"Kevin replied, "Congratulations."Upon hearing his congratulations, Blake felt a mix of amusement and discomfort. "There's nothing to congratulate. If anything, I should congratulate you. You're soon to be the mayor's son-in-law. In the future, we won't belong in the same social class anymore."I'm tired and came back to rest. You should leave now before Liam comes up and sees you here."Don't look for me again. I don't want him to misunderstand."Kevin responded, "Audrey and