"Mr. Winston ..." Rebecca was well aware of the purpose of Daniel's call. So, she took the responsibility upon herself and said, "I've seen what's been happening online, and if you're calling to request a termination of our contract, I don't mind canceling the collaboration with you." The only concern looming was the penalty associated with breaking the contract. She wasn't too keen on asking David for it. Over the years, she had relied on him for her livelihood, and she had roughly estimated an amount in her mind. In case they were to part ways in the future, she had already devised a plan to repay the money, either as a lump sum or in installments. But with her current situation, it seemed like she had lost her job and was accumulating more debts. Nevertheless, she wasn't overly sentimental. They had been living together for so many years, and it would be excessive to completely sever her financial ties with him. Therefore, if she were indeed required to pay a breach-
The restaurant had indeed been reserved for a private event, and the diners turned out to be none other than her family members. The restaurant's server was unaware of any additional guests. Therefore, he approached Rebecca with the intention of politely asking her to leave. "Miss, I'm sorry, but the restaurant has been booked for a private event today. If you have any dining needs, you can visit the adjacent restaurant, or you're welcome to return later tonight," the server said. Rebecca was taken aback by this unexpected turn of events. She was certain that Daniel wouldn't have booked an entire restaurant just for her, especially considering her recent entanglement in the plagiarism controversy. Therefore, she thought she might have entered the wrong restaurant. She quickly apologized to the staff and turned to leave. However, just as she started to make her exit, she heard Zelda's emotional voice from behind."Becca—" Rebecca's mind was instantly flooded with a rush o
"Becca, do you still remember?" Nate's voice was gentle as he poured a cup of warm lemon water for Rebecca. "We were concerned that you might have forgotten us at the restaurant earlier, so we didn't want to disturb you too much. Did we startle you today?" Rebecca shook her head. "No, not at all. It was a pleasant surprise. How could I be startled?" She politely accepted the water from Nate and took a sip. After crying for so long, she was both tired and thirsty. So, she appreciated Nate's considerate gesture. Once she placed the cup down, her gaze shifted to Nate. She felt a little embarrassed as she asked, "By the way, how should I address you ..." "He is your uncle's child. You can call him Nate," Zelda explained patiently from the seat beside her. Of course, Zelda didn't forget the others at the table. She introduced each of them to Rebecca. "The one who looks almost identical to you is your aunt's child, and the one in the hoodie is Alex. He's a professional game
Zelda had rushed here overnight, and her intentions were quite apparent. Rebecca's mind was clear, and she quickly connected the dots. She realized that Zelda's health condition was somehow linked to her. As Rebecca's emotions continued to plummet, Sam knew he had misspoken once again. He placed his hand on Rebecca's shoulder and tried to reassure her by saying, "Becca, don't dwell on it too much. Mom's health has always been poor, and this is just a recurrence of her old condition. So, she needs some good rest. "If you're feeling tired, why don't you take a break? You can visit her tomorrow and have a chat, okay?" On the other side, Caleb chimed in, "I'll take Becca back home for now. The rest of you can stay here at the hospital. Alex may need to pick up Kenneth and Albert, and they should be here by evening." With that, Nate approached Rebecca with clear intentions. Leaving Rebecca at the hospital would only intensify her worries. Given the current situation, it seemed
"Am I ... am I causing you all too much trouble?" Rebecca asked. She tilted her head as she looked at Sam. Sam possessed a profile that could rival any handsome actor in the entertainment industry and perhaps even surpass them. However, it wasn't the time to admire his looks. The burden on her heart had led Rebecca to self-doubt. Was she a constant source of worry and burden to the family? This was already the third time, and it was genuinely taking a toll on them. Rebecca couldn't help but wonder if it might be better if they simply let go of her. Maybe it would be simpler for them to think of her as a child who had passed away prematurely. By doing so, they could carry on with their lives without concerns or troubles related to her, and it would undoubtedly bring more happiness to their lives. Beside Rebecca, Sam seemed to sense her inner thoughts. He chuckled softly and then raised his hand to tousle her voluminous hair. He said, "I've told you not to overthink i
Hearing that, David heaved a sigh of relief.He finally realized the reason he was being called.The bodyguards, who were responsible for looking after Rebecca, didn't have her contact information. They were only responsible for her safety and well-being while she was in Fairport.It had been quite some time since they last received information about Rebecca. Also, the procedures to get into a private hospital were too complicated. Hence, they could only call David and check up on her.They had no direct way to contact her, but he did.Additionally, David was currently in the hospital. They didn't have to go around trying to locate her. Calling him was the most convenient option.After hanging up, David quickly dialed Rebecca's number.Rebecca was chatting with Sam.They talked about their past experiences and some funny moments that happened between them. Of course, they also chatted about where she had been for the past four years.Just as she was about to respond to Sam, sh
Upon hearing this, Rebecca was somewhat stunned. She seemed awkward.Meanwhile, Sam, who was sitting beside her, turned to look at her.Although the call was not on speaker, the corridor was empty. He could hear their conversation clearly.Even without raising her head, Rebecca felt the intense gaze of the man beside her.She dared not look at Sam.She remained silent, and Sam grabbed her phone.He stood up from the bench and said calmly, "David, why are you doubting whether my sister has found her family?"He sounded angry at the end of his sentence.When David heard Sam's voice, his voice became less cordial than before."Mr. Johnson, what do you mean? Of course, I need to stay cautious. It was just a casual question. Becca might be in danger if she meets someone with ulterior motives."His nonchalant tone was laced with a hint of defensiveness.Sam didn't back down. "Well, I wonder if you feel relieved now knowing who I am, Mr. Winston.""Of course."David chuckled and
"Of course. What makes you think I won't return?"Rebecca sounded confused."You said that my sister-in-law is about to give birth and promised to take me to see my little nephew. If I don't go back, how can we visit them together?"She seemed innocent, puzzled, and surprised at the same time.If an outsider was listening to their conversation, it might seem like she was playing dumb or even being sarcastic with the person on the phone. However, only David knew the truth.After undergoing brain surgery and spending several months in a coma, Rebecca's memory was like a blank slate. Those around her were the ones filling it in.Although she had common sense, humans played mind games.Daniel believed he knew the girl he had shaped after her memory was wiped. So, he didn't doubt the meaning behind her words.Holding the phone, he fell silent briefly. Then, he replied gently, "Alright. I'll wait for you at home then. When your mother's condition improves, I'll have Ellen come pick
Penny didn't have much free time over the past three years.As she had envisioned, during the first year, she honed her acting skills amidst criticism while also working as a translator.Later on, she felt that acting didn't hold much appeal anymore. Moreover, realizing that there weren't any roles left for her, she gradually gave up and moved toward working behind the scenes.She had some work during this period.It seemed that a daring reality show, not caring about potential risks, decided to capitalize on her controversial popularity and invited her to participate in one of their programs.The reason Penny agreed to participate was because the show's first season had a good reputation, and the payment offered was reasonable.Continuously doing translations could be quite tiring. After discussing with Cecilia and weighing the pros and cons, she eventually signed up for this TV show.Unfortunately, she had underestimated the darker side of human nature.The show's production
"Really?" Zane blurted out, staring incredulously at Sam, who nodded calmly. His unruly and carefree demeanor was restrained, and his composed attitude showed that he wasn't joking.Zane fell silent again, furrowing his brow as he intently observed Sam.It was as if he thought everything through in an instant, giving up without hesitation. He didn't even remind Zane of the request from years ago to take care of Penny. Instead, he said this would be the last time he would help out.Logically speaking, this should be a satisfactory outcome for Zane. After all, from any perspective, the Lowe family's scion would only be a burden to Sam.Looking again at Sam's attitude, it seemed he didn't want Penny to know he was the one quietly spending money to handle things behind the scenes.Since there was no plan to meet her, he didn't need to worry about anything after that. If that was the case, it would be better to just end it early.That way, if Sam saw Penny falling in love, getting mar
All those old scoundrels from the Lowe family undoubtedly ranked the highest. Then there was Jessica, the entertainment industry's national goddess, who also played a significant role.Besides them, there were a few minor celebrities who didn't really make the cut.However, as Sam's partner and someone who watched him grow up, Zane privately hoped Sam could find a better girl.So, he advised, "There are plenty of socialites in Riverwood, and Amdale has no shortage of beautiful young ladies, either, and Rookfort isn't much different."You and the Lowe family's daughter haven't even officially met…""Who said I haven't met her?" Sam interrupted him without a second thought.He had even seen her twice. How could Zane say they hadn't even met yet?The first time, she gave him all the money she had. The second time, he spoke up to help her get that role.After these interactions, they could be considered acquaintances.Zane choked up and couldn't find the words to refute.He was s
Because Penny declined his offer, Zane didn't insist. After a bit of small talk, he ended the call.He politely mentioned that if she needed any help, she could call this number again. If he could assist in any way, he certainly would.However, Zanw knew very well that, given Penny's temperament, she would rather give up what she had than actively seek help from a stranger.Yes, to Penny, Zane was just a stranger. He was a person she had met once but didn't really know.This time, Penny didn't respond as coldly as she did when she was 18. Instead, she exchanged a couple of polite pleasantries, mentioned that she would reach out if needed, and then hung up the phone.After that, she let out a long sigh of relief and lay on the lounge chair on the balcony, gazing at the view outside the window.There were fluffy white clouds in the azure sky and the greenery visible in the neighborhood. Sparrows were chirping persistently as they darted through the forest, and the cicadas loudly bu
Although the other person said only one word, Penny could still tell he didn't have any ill intentions.Because of that faint sense of familiarity, Penny didn't hang up the phone immediately. "Hello? May I ask what this is about?"The unfamiliar and distant tone probably made the man on the other end of the phone pause for a moment. It was only after a brief silence that he responded."Young lady, don't you remember me? It's Zane Moran."His voice carried a laugh, with a hint of teasing.Only then did Penny remember who he was, but she wasn't happy at all.Zane meant no harm when that incident happened back then. But despite that, over the years that had passed, he became one of the people and things Penny would rather not recall.Whether it was the exam she missed, the incident where Spencer took her to the hotel against her will, or Zane, who gave her 30 dollars for a taxi ride.She just wanted to hide all of them deep in her memories.The recent events had particularly made
"I'm fine. You all don't have to look so worried. You're making it seem as if something bad is going to happen to me."Penny looked at the two people at the door who were showing a range of expressions, feeling speechless.Cecilia was provoked by her words, and her eyes turned red."We're worried about you. You have no idea what you look like right now. You're almost like one of those disheartened protagonists in novels who hated the world."Penny clicked her tongue twice and said, "Aren't you exaggerating?"She didn't believe it. She was just worried about money. It wasn't like she had become disillusioned with life.Besides, she didn't dislike this world at all. On the contrary, she really liked it.Whenever Penny came across posts online suggesting that all humans should just die, she always felt like rolling her eyes. If they wanted to die, they shouldn't drag others with them.When searching for her own role in movies, TV dramas, and novels, Penny particularly preferred re
Penny's way of clarifying things was to simply tell the truth.Sometimes, trying to cover things up would just lead to needing 100 more lies to continue the cover-up. That would often end up making things worse and more ridiculous.It was better to tell the truth about the situation.To answer the question of why she lashed out at the Lowe family, she briefly explained her experiences over the years.Why didn't she attend the final paper of the college entrance examinations? She personally reopened that old wound.As for that man in the hotel, Penny didn't have much of an impression of him anymore. She only remembered not taking his business card and accepting 30 dollars from him.Why did she show up at that man's hotel room? She wrote it down truthfully—it was her father who personally took her and left her at the hotel, wanting to trade her like a commodity.Every single word was carefully considered and written by Penny.She didn't share much of these things with Cecilia. Th
Once the official statements were released, Penny's career being ruined became a certainty.The only surprising thing was probably that after the film crew issued their statement, the largest investor also requested to withdraw.The film crew was completely shocked, but there was nothing they could do. The scion was willing to lose money just to withdraw his investment, so what could they do?The amount of money in the compensation was nothing compared to the amount that the scion planned to invest. The production team would incur a significant loss.With one less investor, the project's status was essentially downgraded. They had much less room to manipulate their gains now, too.One would understand why the scion was doing this if they used their brain a little.However, the protests from the audience couldn't be ignored, and compared to the investors, it was clearly more important to keep the show going.After all, they could always attract more sponsors, even if the amount o
In addition to the widespread backlash caused by the phone recording, Penny's academic credentials were also scrutinized and exposed.Before the college entrance exam, she had always been the top student in her school and had never ranked anything else.However, in the college entrance exam, she barely passed the minimum mark for key institutions, far below her usual performance.Some people speculated that she had been cheating during regular exams and that her actual abilities were much worse.However, the exam results could be checked online, and the fact that Penny scored zero on the last exam was surprising.It was even more shocking that she was admitted to a top-tier university despite missing an exam. It was truly exceptional.But few people paid attention to this information.After all, the achievements attained through hard work couldn't be faked. Even if the results weren't as expected, it was undeniable that she was stronger than many others.Regarding this topic, t