"Alright, alright, whatever you say." Niamh dismissed Bambi completely, not taking her seriously.The competition at this prestigious kindergarten was fierce, with many children producing better crafts and delivering more polished speeches than Bambi.Niamh had just looked over the other Outstanding Works crafts and believed Bambi's chances of taking first place were slim.Bambi walked onto the stage carrying her craft project. She wore her school uniform: a white long-sleeve blouse paired with a red plaid skirt. Her hair was styled into two round buns, giving her an endearing look.Her sweet and lively features caught the audience's eye. Her long lashes framed her dark, bright eyes beautifully.But whispers started among the parents as soon as Bambi stepped onto the stage."Doesn't the Fisher girl look a little chubby?" one murmured.Another parent snickered, "A little chubby? That's putting it lightly."The two shared a knowing laugh. In this elite school, the wealthy mothers
The children's speeches concluded, and Bambi unsurprisingly took first place for flawlessly reciting her presentation from memory.The principal of the kindergarten personally awarded Bambi a star. Meanwhile, Beau stood in the audience, watching as the children on stage received their accolades.For the first time in his life, he left an event empty-handed—not only without a prize but also as the subject of ridicule.Tears welled in Beau's eyes as he searched for Elara in the crowd."My darling!" Ethel approached and scooped Beau into her arms."Grandma!" Beau sobbed aloud.Ethel soothed him in a soft voice, "Don't cry, my darling. You'll always be number one to Grandma!"Beau replied while sniffling, "But Bambi got a star... Grandma, please tell Mommy to come back so she can do my homework! If not, I'll leave with Mommy too!"He knew well how much his grandmother doted on him, and his threat was sure to be effective.Ethel's tone immediately turned stern. "If you leave, you'l
"Grandma! Bambi hit me again!" Beau yelled.He started sobbing, while Bambi stood with her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides.Born with incredible strength, Bambi had unintentionally hurt Beau a few times when they were younger as she was unable to control her power. Since then, Ethel had always been on high alert around Bambi, constantly watching over her.Beau knew he could count on his grandmother to take his side, and played his part well. Ethel stormed forward with a sour expression, reaching out to rip the star off Bambi's chest."Bambi Fisher, hitting someone at school means you're unworthy of a star! I'll ensure the teachers revoke your eligibility for awards for the entire school year!"Beau, who was still clinging to Ethel's legs, pretended to cry as he buried his face in his hands. He was sneaking a glance at Bambi through his fingers.Meanwhile, Bambi stood rooted to the spot, and her vision grew blurry.Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't want to cry,
The parents in the auditorium were glued to their phones, buzzing about the online uproar."The school is trending!""Madam Foster's identity has already been exposed!""The public really doesn't miss a thing. They didn't know Mr. Fisher got a divorce, but they could immediately tell Niamh is the mistress.""I can't stand Niamh Jones either. She's always draping herself over my husband.""Just two nights ago, when I went to pick up my drunk husband, she was sitting on Mr. Pitt's lap. Then, she casually tossed her bra onto Mr. Cox's face. My husband swears they were just messing around."As the parents gossiped animatedly, Ethel turned on the director, Peter Manford, and snapped, "Shut down the livestream now! If the Fisher family's reputation is tarnished, I'll sue you!"Peter wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Madam Foster, I've already cut the feed."The events that had unfolded earlier left Peter scrambling. By the time he regained his composure and stopped the broadcast, th
Ethel laughed at Bambi's naivety. "You might not even be able to afford tuition anymore if you follow your mother!"She believed her granddaughter had no idea what awaited her in the future, and Ethel's glare at Elara carried nothing but venom."I want to see how a mere college graduate like you plans to raise Bambi! Bambi doesn't realize her life has already hit rock bottom. The gap between her and Beau is now an unbridgeable chasm."No matter how hard you try, Bambi will never reach the level Beau is destined for!"Elara's voice remained calm. "Both my children came from the same womb. If Beau has something, Bambi should too."Since the Fisher family can't treat them equally, I will take Bambi and help her grow into who she wants to be."Elara turned to leave with Bambi when a group of people carrying briefcases walked into the auditorium. The middle-aged man leading the group wore a modest white shirt and black trousers.Elara's eyes narrowed. How coincidental—it was a famili
Desmond said to James, "I just got off the plane and rushed here from the airport to handle this. If she doesn't step down, Summit Academy won't just lose new enrollments—you'll lose your current students too!"James glanced at Ethel in a panic.Ethel signaled to him with her eyes. "James, don't forget that Fisher Corp is Summit Academy's biggest sponsor..."James appeared torn. On one hand, he couldn't afford to lose Fisher Corp's financial backing. On the other hand, he couldn't risk offending the Department of Education."Enough, Mom!"Harvey's voice was sharp, freezing the air around him. "Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough already?"He turned to Desmond and declared, "I'll take over my mother's position on the board."The man's presence was commanding, leaving no room for objection.Desmond's gaze shifted between Harvey and Elara before he chuckled. "I trust that you will be far more capable than your mother, Mr. Fisher."Then, Elara spoke softly to Bambi, "Let's go.
Elara opened the gift box, revealing a sapphire bracelet inside. Her gaze sharpened as she picked it up."What's the size of this bracelet?" she asked."5.6 inches," Harvey replied instinctively.Elara let out a dry laugh, and a bitter taste was rising in her throat. "That's Niamh's wrist size."She extended her hand out the window, letting the sparkling sapphire bracelet slip from her palm.Harvey's brow furrowed as emotions rippled through his usually cold eyes. "You're just jealous of Niamh. That's why you're throwing this tantrum."I've known Niamh for over 20 years. If there were something between us, do you think you'd even be here?"His words seemed to stir something deep within Elara—a memory buried in the past. Her broken smile reflected back at her in the rearview mirror."Do you remember about the night you left to find Niamh three years ago? You made me go to the hospital alone."I had a fever of 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit that night. Taylor was on leave, and the sta
"Ack!" Niamh let out a sharp cry behind Harvey.Harvey turned to see her sprawled on the ground with her hair disheveled, and her wide, imploring eyes were fixed on him."Harvey…"An indelible image overlapped with the scene before him in his mind—his sister, Dawn Fisher, who was forever frozen at 18, was calling out to him again and again amidst the flames.He walked over and helped Niamh to her feet.Seated in Harvey's car, Niamh struggled to suppress the triumphant smile threatening to bloom on her face."What do you plan to do with this bracelet?" she asked while holding it out in her palm."Throw it away," he replied curtly in a cold tone."Sure thing!" Niamh responded nonchalantly while miming a toss toward the window.With a deft twist of her wrist, she slipped the bracelet into her pocket instead in a seamless movement.…In the Fisher residence's study, the strikingly handsome man sat behind the desk as his eyes scanned the pages of Elara's medical records.His gaz
The hospital room door suddenly swung open from the outside. Benjamin entered to find Abel pressing a pillow over Niamh's face.Without hesitation, he charged forward, shoving Abel away with his body. Abel stumbled backward onto the nightstand, still clutching the pillow in both hands."What the hell are you doing?" Abel roared at Benjamin as he looked at him, as if the younger man had interrupted him trying to discipline Nimah.Benjamin saw Niamh's eyes rolling back. Her face had turned blue, mouth gaping but unable to draw breath. He immediately administered chest compressions, reviving Niamh just in time.Abel threw the pillow at Benjamin. "How dare you push me?""You nearly killed her!" Benjamin snapped back.Spittle flew from Abel's mouth. "She's disgraced me personally and ruined our family's standing in Capitol society!"Benjamin retreated a step with a cold laugh. "Then go ahead and kill her!"Saving lives was instinctual, but now he regretted intervening. Had he stayed
"Wah!" Beau burst into loud sobs, his cries weak but desperate."I want Mommy! Daddy! I only want my mommy!"Harvey's handsome face froze over with icy detachment. Without another word to Beau, he turned and left the children's room.When the door closed behind him, Beau's wailing became muffled.…Harvey returned to his bedroom, but even in the quiet emptiness, he still couldn't catch his breath. A cold sensation crept up from his feet.Striding to the walk-in closet, he yanked open every drawer. He pulled out ties, watches, cufflinks, and pins, scattering them across the floor.Did Elara give him this one? Did she buy him that? Frustration crept in as he realized he couldn't remember.The gifts from business associates stood out clearly in his memory, but he couldn't distinguish which items came from Elara versus his stylist. With growing dismay, Harvey realized he'd never properly looked at any present from Elara—not even once.Now he couldn't recall which accessories were
Beau was laying on the bed. His large, pitch-black pupils occupied most of his eye sockets, leaving only tiny whites that emitted a faint blue glow in the dim room.Harvey opened his mouth, only to feel as if someone had stuffed a wad of paper down his throat. His voice caught abruptly. Yet Beau's gaze was still brimming with longing and expectation.The boy tightened his grip on Harvey's sleeve."She already divorced me..." Harvey said slowly.How could he possibly reconcile with Elara? He would never return to what he'd left behind. After all, when they signed the divorce papers, he declared Elara would be the one begging him!When they obtained the divorce certificate, the thought of turning back never crossed his mind! Even if Elara had pleaded with him, it would still be impossible!Yet for Beau's sake, Harvey decided to make his greatest concession."If your mother comes begging for reconciliation, I'll consider it." As he spoke these words, Harvey clenched his fist—the st
"It's all over Capitol! You and Niamh took some drugs at Jones Group and carried on shamelessly!"Look! Every group chat I'm in is flooded with videos and photos of you two!"Ethel thrust her phone in Harvey's face. He saw it immediately—images and clips of a bruised Niamh collapsed on the floor circulating across countless group chats.Some guests lingering outside the door must have secretly recorded the scene. These weren't just random spectators but established elites, lending credibility to the footage.By now, the materials had been forwarded too many times to trace their origin. Niamh dominated most frames, with Harvey only appearing blurrily in a few shots.He returned the phone. "I'll have my team clarify that nothing happened between Niamh and me."Ethel exhaled in relief. "Thank heavens you didn't actually tangle with that mannish creature! So many elite daughters in Capitol would kill to become Mrs. Fisher!"Hmph, the members of the Jones family aren't even fit to po
Theodore continued, "Starting tomorrow, will you let me pursue you properly? One day, I'll become your rightful partner!"The darkness concealed Elara's expression, but their proximity allowed each to hear the other's breathing. When Elara looked up, only Theodore's eyes burned bright in the shadows.His breath hitched when she remained silent.Was she refusing?The fingers of the hand braced beside her head curled inward slowly.Just then, the elevator doors opened, flooding the hallway with light that illuminated Elara's profile and Theodore's gaze. There against the wall, he saw Elara's lips curve—her eyes sparkling with amusement.She had guessed right. Theodore would never willingly end things. Of course, this man sought to turn passive into active.A contractual relationship would only trap them in stagnation, and he refused to settle for that. As Theodore opened his mouth to speak, a new shadow loomed.Finnegan stepped out of the elevator and immediately saw Elara caged
Elara hurriedly said, "Goodnight."On the other end of the line, Leonard hung up. Setting her phone down, Elara turned to Theodore and pinched his cheek.To her surprise, his skin was so firm she couldn't get a proper grip. When she tried to pinch his cheek, there was barely any flesh to grab.Theodore tilted his face up, causing her fingers to land on his chin instead—making it look like she was harassing some innocent man."When did I bully the elderly? And Mr. Fisher isn't that much older than you! If he's old, what does that make you?"Theodore caught her slender wrist and nuzzled his face into her palm like an affectionate cat. He then said, "I'm in my prime—full of vigor and vitality! Leonard's always in that wheelchair, frail as can be!"His eyes sparkled like tempting black grapes as he suddenly turned apologetic."Did I interrupt your call with Leo? Sorry, I won't do it again! I just missed talking to you too much!"Elara chuckled again. "Don't be jealous of Mr. Fisher
Theodore sat beside her, accompanying her home. Elara's eyes, usually clear and bright, now carried a faint mistiness. Suddenly remembering something, she pulled out her phone and made a call."Hello."Leonard's cool, water-like voice flowed into her ears, soothing her alcohol-fired nerves like a clear spring."Mr. Fisher, I've secured control of Joss Tech." Elara's voice brimmed with childlike excitement as she proudly announced her achievement to Leonard.Hearing her say "Mr. Fisher", Theodore's eyelashes fluttered slightly. She's talking to Leonard. He then turned his head to look at her.From the phone, Leonard's voice remained crisp as a mountain stream. "I'm aware of what Harvey did at Joss Tech today."Elara's lips curved. "He helped me eliminate Niamh, so I'll give him that much credit. But I'll never forgive him! His real target was Theodore!"Hearing his name, Theodore's smile widened until it nearly reached his ears.Leonard responded, "If he bothers you, I can trans
Elara found herself perplexed—was Harvey deliberately asking such foolish questions?"You're the CEO of Fisher Corp. You have countless ways to exonerate yourself. I know perfectly well which is easier—destroying you or destroying Niamh."When Harvey shifted all the blame onto Niamh, Elara had her own calculations. If she had exposed both Harvey and Niamh as co-conspirators then and there, she would have forced them onto the same side.Since Harvey wanted to ruin Niamh's reputation, she would let him do the dirty work first. The thought of Niamh being permanently silenced wasn't entirely unpleasant."Harvey, just try pulling another underhanded trick on Theodore again!"A bleak, mirthless laugh escaped Harvey's lips. His cuffs were soaked crimson, yet Elara hadn't shown an ounce of concern. She hadn't even granted him a glance."You may protect Theodore, but I know your heart still leans toward me!" Harvey's words seemed more for his own ears than hers.Elara probably avoided lo
Whispers rippled through the crowd as guests exchanged knowing glances."Everyone in the Capitol knows Niamh's obsessed with Mr. Fisher. She probably saw this public event as her last chance to force his hand!"She gambled that Mr. Fisher would quietly submit to save face, never expecting he'd stand his ground so firmly!""What an idiot," someone scoffed. "If Mr. Fisher wanted her, her sister would never have become Mrs. Fisher in the first place!"Elara motioned to several Jones Group staff members. "Take Niamh downstairs. The ambulance should be here by now."As employees lifted Niamh's unconscious body, her disheveled clothes barely covered her. Her head lolled to one side, lips still curved in a dreamy smile.The guests recoiled, their expressions dripping with disdain."Mr. Fisher." Elara's voice carried cold precision.Harvey's eyes instantly brightened at her address, hope flaring despite everything."You should accompany the ambulance to the hospital as well."The dis