Meanwhile, Rebecca returned to the Seabound Mansion with David. She was unaware of the series of disputes at the hospital after she left.She had been feeling hungry since they left the hospital.She didn't know how long it would take for David to prepare such a complicated dish.She was starving by the time they finished grocery shopping."Here, have some of these first."Suddenly, David tossed a plastic bag into Rebecca's arms. She was startled.When she regained her composure, she noticed that the bag contained small cakes, a box of egg tarts, and a loaf of whole-grain bread.She was surprised. "When did you buy these?"They had only browsed the grocery area in the supermarket. David had shown no interest in the snacks section as he disliked junk foods. At the checkout, he even removed a box of candy, which she secretly slipped into the shopping bag.David glanced at the girl, who was happily enjoying her snacks. Smiling, he replied, "I bought them when I went to get the fi
According to David, her relationship with Maxwell had resulted from a previous romantic failure.In Rebecca's opinion, if she couldn't spend her life with the person she loved, she would probably choose to be with someone she could get along with comfortably.She thought carefully and realized that Maxwell had quite good looks.Standing at about 6 feet tall, he had well-defined features and a handsome face.However, his eyes were concealed behind glasses. It made it difficult for her to gauge his true nature.If not for the impolite behavior he had displayed when they first met, Rebecca believed she wouldn't have had a strong aversion to him.At the very least, he should be someone she could get along with fairly well.They must have started out as friends, and he would have pursued her with politeness and courtesy. It wasn't a surprise that she had chosen him.Unfortunately, she had a negative impression of him now.Rebecca didn't dwell on this matter any further. The car soo
Becca wrote. "Mr. Winston, don't you have anything else to say to me?"Sitting at the dining table, Rebecca stared at her phone for a while. When she didn't receive any response, she couldn't hold back any longer. She quickly typed a message and sent it. Almost instantly, she received a reply."What do you want me to say?"Rebecca was stunned by this response.What was she expecting him to say? Considering the current situation, shouldn't he be scolding her now? He should tell her that the company had invested a significant amount of money and effort to resolve the issue. Then, he should ask her to work diligently and produce a certain number of drafts each month.However, he didn't say anything after informing her that the issue was resolved.Rebecca felt quite uncertain.But she couldn't simply ask him about it. She was just an employee, and it wasn't her place to bring up such matters. If she did, she would be the one questioning her employer, and that wasn't a wise
His oppressive tone pulled Rebecca out of her thoughts.She was still searching for news online.Daniel had spent money to remove all the negative news on the Internet. Rebecca couldn't find the old articles, and she was still trying to figure out which were the new ones.As she had spent many years abroad, she wasn't familiar with the apps here yet.Just as she was beginning to grasp how they worked, she heard David's angry tone. She was startled.She hesitated briefly and tried to come up with an explanation. But her mind went blank when she met David's dark and intimidating gaze.He was so frightening ... He looked like those thugs in Seardale who threatened their business. It felt like he might lock her up and interrogate her in the next moment. Rebecca timidly looked at him. For a moment, she didn't know how to respond. She wanted to look away and avoid his terrifying gaze, but an inexplicable sense of grievance welled up in her heart. It forced her to maintain eye con
Rebecca wiped the water droplets off her face. She then glanced at the culprit, who was now washing dishes with a faint smile. He acted as if nothing had happened.It seemed like he had cooled off now.She snorted and left the kitchen with the plastic wrap to store the leftover food in the dining room.Fortunately, Ellen wasn't there. Otherwise, he would have berated her for not finishing her food.She didn't have any other choice. Rather than wasting food, she preferred to reheat it the next day. As long as she didn't repeatedly eat the same leftovers, it wouldn't have a significant impact on her health. Moreover, the leftovers she stored in the fridge were all meat dishes. She had already finished the vegetable dishes, so it wasn't a problem.After storing the leftover food, Rebecca wiped the dining table. Then, she picked up her phone and headed to the backyard.She wasn't a moody person. Upon realizing that David was no longer angry, she didn't dwell on the matter anymore.
"Sure." Rebecca stood up to receive the fresh milk and politely thanked him. Only belatedly did she sense that something was amiss. "You're going out this late at night?""Mhm, there are some matters I need to handle." David's complexion wasn't great, and his tone was solemn.His demeanor suggested business troubles in Seardale that required his attention in the middle of the night.Rebecca never inquired into his work affairs, and although she had no idea what he was dealing with now, she nodded without pressing further."Just be careful out there and come back early," she said.David paused as he was about to leave.He lowered his gaze to the girl who spoke these words.He had never expected to hear such concern from Rebecca. Over the past four years, nightmares often jolted him awake. He dreamt of a boundless deep sea, saw visions of her falling into unseen waters, and heard her tearful accusations and pleas to leave him. Despite the doctors saying her memory might neve
Rebecca knew of this place because she had once wanted to explore the local culture of Fairport as a tourist.However, she abandoned the idea due to the nature of the people living there. Now, as she drove there herself, she had to admit that David's advice had been right.The old district reeked of decay at night. She could hear dogs barking and people cursing in the stairwells. Rebecca stepped out of her car and checked the address on her phone as she pursed her lips. The idea of her going to rescue Ellen seemed ridiculous. Given her delicate constitution, she could get winded just from walking too far, let alone in a place where danger could strike at any moment.Once a fight broke out, she'd be the first to go down.But the fact that she was specifically asked to come indicated that they had some other use for her. She feared she might be walking into a trap where, even if she did as she was asked, they might not release their captive. Would that not be a wasted eff
Rebecca had contemplated convincing Maxwell to release Ellen before entering negotiations with him. However, she wavered when she received the photo Maxwell had texted her. How could this have happened?She was in disbelief to see Ellen in a bloodied and bruised state. She had just talked to him on a video call an hour ago.Struggling to compose a coherent text with her shaky fingers, she eventually gave up and opted for a voice message.Her voice was trembling. She growled, "What more do you want? You promised not to hurt Ellen! Maxwell Jenkins, you said you have no beef with him!"There was no history between Maxwell and Ellen; they hadn't even met before. Ellen could only consider himself unlucky for working under David. Moreover, Maxwell was infuriated by the thought of Ellen being a part of Rebecca's life for four years.When Maxwell recalled the group photos in Rebecca's Instagram feed, he seethed and had the urge to beat up Ellen. How could she side with the men who had
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