Maxwell avoided Rachel's expectant gaze and murmured, "Jennifer was also beaten.""I... I understand." Even if Rachel was unwilling, Maxwell had already made himself clear. If she didn't forgive Jennifer and Laura, he would eventually suspect her.Since everyone was siding with Jennifer now, it was better for her to go with the flow. At the same time, she was also earning a favor from Maxwell.Therefore, she pretended to be understanding. "Maxwell, I'll tell the lawyer to retract the verdict. Ms. Yale has indeed been through a lot more compared to me. Let's invite her for dinner someday. I wish to apologize to her."She deliberately worded it as though she were Maxwell's wife instead.…The next morning, Jennifer received a call from Laura's father, saying that the lawsuit had been retracted. However, Laura's father was away on a business trip and couldn't pick up his daughter."Don't worry, I'll go pick up Laurie," Jennifer promised.Jennifer quickly got up from bed with exc
Not long after, Laura's charming voice came from the kitchen entrance, "Jennifer... How do I look? Am I sexy?"Jennifer turned to the door and her jaw dropped in surprise. "Holy shit! Why did you come out like this?"Although... She was indeed very sexy.Laura's brown curls cascaded over her shoulders, and she looked extremely alluring. The white bath towel barely covered her thighs, revealing Laura's smooth legs. Along with her curves, Laura looked more mature and feminine than Jennifer ever could.Laura rolled her eyes at Jennifer. "It's all your fault. I asked you to prepare pajamas for me, but you didn't bring anything. This was the only option I had!"Jennifer couldn't take her eyes off her and weakly mumbled, "Did you drink a lot of milk growing up?""I was born beautiful and hit the jackpot during puberty." Laura couldn't help teasing her. "Look at you, people might even think you're still in high school."Jennifer pouted. "Hey! I'll hit you!"The two bantered and laughe
Maxwell was startled by Laura's seductive appearance. He immediately turned away and flushed bright red. Only Simon remained calm, standing in place and unabashedly gazing at the alluring Laura.Laura turned and ran, wishing to find a hole to hide in. But in her haste, she forgot to tighten the bath towel. Thus, she stood frozen in place as the towel fell to the floor. This had to be the most embarrassing moment of her life!Jennifer took a sharp breath and scolded Simon, "Hurry up and cover your eyes! What are you looking at? You pervert!"She picked up the towel and hurriedly wrapped it around Laura before supporting the dazed Laura into the bedroom.Simon's gaze darkened coldly. How long did Laura think she could hide from him?After he came back to his senses, he nudged Maxwell slightly. "Alright, she's gone now. Come on, have you never seen a naked woman? Was it necessary to act like a prude in front of your wife?""What do you know?" Maxwell glared at him and argued, "It'
Jennifer was moved to tears and hugged Laura. "Thank you, Laurie. But please don't ever pull this stupid stunt for me again. You scared me good this time.""Why are you thanking me?" Laura patted her back. "Alright, I'm leaving. You mustn't let Maxwell and that mistress push you around. Be decisive when it's time to get a divorce. Don't let yourself be dragged down by them.""I know," Jennifer mumbled. She still felt hesitant and reluctant at the prospect of a divorce.Since Laura didn't drive, Jennifer drove her back home. When she returned, Simon had already left while Maxwell was in the study doing his work.Jennifer opened the door to the study and glared at Maxwell angrily. The latter returned a weird smile. "Your friend's figure is much better than yours!""You... You saw?" Jennifer remembered seeing Maxwell covering his eyes.Maxwell probed, "Are you jealous?""I'm not!" Jennifer stubbornly denied it and questioned, "Why did you bring Simon here? Don't you know how impo
Maxwell said Jennifer was a used woman! But Jennifer never wanted nor asked for this.Tears gathered in Jennifer's eyes, but she held them back. She forced a smile and said with pretended ease, "I know you just wanted to humiliate me yesterday. You wouldn't actually sleep with me."With that, she quickly left the study, not wanting to let Maxwell see her humiliation and hurt....Jennifer neither cooked nor ate dinner. She always had excruciatingly painful period cramps, especially during the first two days of her period. And her cramps only got more severe after her argument with Maxwell. Thus, she didn't have the appetite to eat.When Maxwell came into the room later that night, he saw Jennifer's small figure curled up under the covers."Jennifer?" Maxwell walked over and lifted the blanket. "What's wrong?"Jennifer glanced at him. "Why haven't you left?"She thought he would go find Rachel.Maxwell frowned. "This is my house. Where else would I go?""Whatever."Jennifer
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Then, Maxwell's voice came from outside. "Come out for breakfast."Jennifer was stunned. Maxwell was asking her down for breakfast instead of Martha. But she suddenly remembered that Martha had taken three days off and wouldn't be back soon. Did Maxwell cook breakfast?It wasn't until Jennifer went downstairs that she found that Maxwell could cook. Moreover, his cooking was looking very delicious too."You... Did you make all of this?" She couldn't believe it.Maxwell sat across from her and huffed. "Who else could it be but me?"The last time he let Jennifer cook, he was sure he was going to die of food poisoning! How could he dare let her cook again?Jennifer was speechless and quietly picked up the sandwich. As she took a bite, the taste of roasted meat flooded her mouth immediately.She exclaimed in pleasant surprise. "I've never seen you cook before. How did you learn to cook?"Maxwell smiled faintly and explained, "I used to coo
Lorraine's expression turned ugly. She was Maxwell's stepmother, but he had dismissed her like a maid.Jordan remembered he still had a date with a girl and was worried that he wouldn't be able to get away. He pulled his mother and said, "Mom, since Maxwell had spoken, let's wait for him outside."Lorraine was reluctantly dragged outside by Jordan.She whispered, "You useless brat! Maxwell kicked us out! Who knows what lies he'll tell Grandpa about us? Maybe he'll ruin your chances of joining the company. Anything he says could ruin our chance.""Really?" Jordan frowned. "But Grandpa promised us. I don't believe that Grandpa would change his mind so easily. Not to mention, Grandpa had the HR department announce my position."Lorraine relaxed a little at this. Although Robert didn't like them, he wasn't one to mess around with the company. Since Jordan's position was announced, it was highly unlikely that Robert would go back on his words.…Meanwhile, Maxwell stood before Robe
Robert growled angrily, "You've abused my trust and hurt Jennifer while frolicking with that shameless woman. Do you really think you're old enough to escape my grasp?""Grandpa, I don't like being threatened. You don't need to threaten me with Jordan or the company. I'm the one in control of the Lance family now. It won't affect me in the slightest if that useless brat comes in."After hearing Maxwell, Robert began coughing violently from his anger."Grandpa!" Maxwell was startled and hurriedly patted Robert's back. "Where's your medicine? Let me get it for you."Robert pushed him away. "No need! I've finally realized that I've raised an ungrateful child!""What do you want from me, Grandpa?" Maxwell rubbed his temples. "Rachel is just a powerless woman. Why do you hate her so much?"Robert sneered disdainfully. "Her? Powerless? If she were, how did she manage to ruin Jennifer's reputation? Fortunately, Dr. Lowe stepped in to clear Jennifer's name. Listen to me, and cut ties wit
Laura anxiously waited as the police retrieved the surveillance footage. But in the end, all they told her was that the alley she had mentioned was in an area slated for demolition. Hence, no cameras had been installed there. When she suggested they start investigating from the street where her office was located, the officer replied, "Miss, if we follow your suggestion, it would require a massive undertaking."We have other cases to handle as well. Please, go home and wait. If we find anything, we'll notify you immediately, okay?"Laura's urgency stemmed from how terrified she felt. After all, it was the first time she had been followed. Still, she didn't want to make things difficult for anyone. Since the police officers had made their stance clear, she decided not to press further and relented. Before leaving, she couldn't help but plead, "Please, do your best to look into this as soon as possible. Contact me immediately if there's any news."With that, she left the station,
Laura's heart pounded violently in her chest. She immediately pulled out her phone, instinctively thinking of calling Simon. However, she remembered they weren't on speaking terms, so she dialed Jennifer's number instead. A nurse answered the phone. "Hello, Dr. Susan is currently in surgery. Please call back in two hours."Left with no choice, Laura reluctantly called Simon. His deep voice came through almost immediately. "Hello, what is it?"Simon's voice, though pleasant, held an icy undertone. Laura knew he was still angry. But right now, someone was following her. She couldn't afford to care about anything else—not even her pride.She gripped the phone tightly, her voice trembling as she said, "S-Someone's following me. Can you come pick me up?""What?" Simon's response was indifferent. Then, he mockingly added, "Aren't you a martial arts expert? A good fighter, right? What's there to fear from a thief?"After all, Britney hadn't been able to secure her interview with hi
Simon finally looked up from his computer screen and gave Alex a stern look. "Do you not understand what I said, or do you have nothing better to do? Should I assign you more tasks?""No… No need for that! I'll leave now." After being scolded, Alex left the office dejectedly. Britney was still waiting downstairs. Seeing him come out, she rushed up eagerly. "So? How did it go?"Alex scratched his head and forced a smile. "Mr. Moore said… Ms. Scott needs to come in person." Britney sighed, disappointment written all over her face. "I knew it!" Alex was about to console her when she suddenly broke into a bright smile. "Still, coming here today wasn't a total waste. At least I ran into my high school classmate and got your number!"She winked at him playfully and added, "We're both from out of town. So, we've got to look out for each other!"Alex was flustered and nodded. "Of course!""Well, I'll get going then. Let's keep in touch!" Britney shrugged off the rejection. Althou
Britney hesitated but finally gave in. "Fine, I'll give it a try." … With Laura's task weighing heavily on her shoulders, Britney set off for Valor Law Firm solemnly.As expected, it turned out exactly as she had imagined. She was turned away almost immediately.She recalled the last time she had come here with Laura. Back then, Laura had also waited for a long time. Determined to ace the interview, Britney decided to stick around and wait. Surely Simon would meet her, considering how she always supported him and Laura and had even tipped him off before. "Britney!" A voice suddenly called out. Britney turned around and her eyes lit up with surprise. "Alex? What are you doing here?" Britney added, "I had some business here. Wow, you've changed so much since high school! Do you work here? Everyone here looks so formal in their suits.""Yes, I work here." Alex was happy to see a classmate. "Are you here because of some trouble? Do you need a lawyer?"Britney explaine
After leaving Simon's office, Laura headed straight to the studio. The workday had ended when she arrived, and all her colleagues had left. Laura sat at her desk, turned on her computer, and began writing down everything she had seen and heard today. With her fingers furiously typing away, she poured out the full story of Brooks Group's workplace incident. Whether it was out of anger or agitation, the keyboard clattered loudly beneath her hands.In just 20 minutes, she had completed a full article. As she typed the last word, she began to calm down. Looking at the article that was filled with sympathy for Nick's family and criticism of Brooks Group, Laura realized she was betraying her journalistic integrity.She hesitated before deleting the draft. After all, she was a reporter. She shouldn't bring her personal feelings into her work. This article contained too much of her own bias. Such a news piece would be unprofessional. Laura sighed. She checked her phone but ther
Laura had to accept reality. Simon feigned nonchalance. "Wait for me. I have some work to finish, and then I'll take you out for dinner, alright?"Laura sat quietly on the couch nearby, listening to the sound of him typing on his computer. Her heart tightened.Her mind replayed the events of how she and Britney had gone to interview the victim's parents. Their cries echoed in her ears as did Simon's conversation with William. Finally, Laura walked over to him. "The work you're handling... Is it related to Brooks Group?" Simon paused and looked at her. "How do you know about this case?" Laura replied truthfully, "My boss assigned me to interview the victims. I... I just visited the family this afternoon and got back from the countryside not long ago.""I see." Simon didn't think much of it and even teased, "Well, it looks like we might see each other more often now. You could say we're mixing business with pleasure." Laura wasn't in the mood to joke. "Are you going to
But it seemed like Simon was slowly warming up, though Laura couldn't tell if it was just her imagination. Laura tapped Britney on the back of her head. "What are you daydreaming about?"Britney answered solemnly, "I'm worried about you, Laura! Let's check things out at Valor Law Firm tomorrow, okay? After all, each side has its own version of the story. Maybe Mr. Moore will have a completely different explanation tomorrow." Laura felt a sense of unease. When they reached the city center, she got out of the car. "Go back to the studio on your own. I... I need to take a walk." Britney knew Laura was planning to see Simon to clarify things. So, she didn't press the matter and drove off.Laura headed straight to Valor Law Firm. The receptionist saw her and asked, "Do you have an appointment, Ms. Scott? Mr. Moore is currently in a meeting.""It's fine. I'll just wait for him here." Laura had just sat down when she noticed Alex coming in. Alex walked over eagerly. "Are y
Laura spent the entire morning investigating the Brooks Group's construction site incident and the people involved.In the afternoon, she took Britney and visited the victim's family.The family lived in a remote rural area and looked poor. When they heard Laura was a journalist from a well-known studio, the victim's family members broke into tears. "Please, you must stand up for us!"These were ordinary people with no way of beating influential figures. Having someone to speak for them filled them with gratitude. Laura quickly helped the victim's grieving parents to their feet. The deceased worker, Nick Klaus, was only 20 years old. His parents were in their early 40s, yet their hair had turned completely white, and their wrinkles made them look much older.Laura couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness, while Britney looked like she was about to cry from sympathy.The victim's father cried, "Those bastards at Brooks Group are so heartless! It was their fault for not ensuri
Laura sighed to herself. She just needed to coordinate with Simon to get the news. Why did Joseph make it sound like such a difficult task?She promised, "Don't worry, Mr. Zone. Our News Department has coordinated with Valor Law Firm before, and we've done quite a few exclusive interviews with Mr. Moore. This shouldn't be a problem."Joseph smiled. "You're good at keeping work and personal life separate, but I haven't finished yet. The reason we're focusing on this news piece is because the family of the deceased worker is suing Brooks Group for insufficient safety measures. Plus, the workers at the site are agitated. The company is unwilling to pay compensation and hired a lawyer to minimize the settlement. The family of the deceased refuses to accept the proposed 200 thousand dollars as compensation. Both sides are at a stalemate." "200 thousand dollars?" Laura was stunned. "A human life, and they're offering only that little?" Joseph nodded. "Even you're outraged. That's why