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
The house was pitch black when Maxwell returned. He turned on the lights and could feel his anger boiling within! He called Michael and asked coldly, "Why is it taking so long for you to investigate something? Do you have any results?"Michael could tell that Maxwell was in a bad mood and quickly replied, "I was just about to report to you. Dr. Lowe has been leading his team in research abroad for the past three years. "Although he is known as a lecturer at Haven University, he hasn't actually taught there. I've also investigated his flight records. He only came back a few times in the past three years, and each time was just to visit family. He probably didn't have the opportunity to develop anything with Mrs. Lance.""What about Jennifer's classmates?" Maxwell pressed on. "Is she close to any of them?"Michael replied, "I've checked the school. Mrs. Lance hasn't been particularly close to any male students, nor has she been involved in any rumors with anyone. Also, Dr. Lowe h
"Of course, it has everything to do with you!" Lorraine's eyes darted around before she said, "Your grandpa favors Maxwell so much because he married Jennifer. After all, Jennifer's mother helped your grandpa undergo that surgery that no one dared to perform. "But Maxwell isn't cherishing her. If Jennifer had married you, your mother-in-law would have been your grandpa's lifesaver. Then, you would be…"Jordan quickly interrupted her, "Mom! What are you talking about? Jennifer is Maxwell's wife. I'm the revered second son of the Lance family. How could I take Maxwell's hand-me-downs? Besides, I'm only 24. I'm not in a rush to get married!"He wasn't ready to settle down yet!Lorraine shook her head. "Why can't you understand? We can use Jennifer to gain favor with your grandpa and obtain Lance Group. Once your grandpa passes away, you can kick her out, and I'll find you a girl from a good family. Then we'll have everything."Jordan recalled how Robert had always treated Jennifer l
Robert remembered there were a few casualties from last year's tornado, so he didn't feel at ease letting Jennifer go to school alone. Therefore, he reminded Jordan, "Remember to ensure Jennifer gets to school safely. And remember to bring her home too, understand?"Jordan immediately nodded. "Leave it to me, Grandpa."Jennifer felt she would come across as ungrateful if she continued to refuse. So, she awkwardly said to Jordan, "Sorry for the trouble."The next morning, after Jordan and Jennifer had breakfast, they headed out. It was indeed storming outside. "Jennifer, it seems like this will be the norm for the entire week," Jordan said while holding an umbrella for her. "I have to pass your school on the way to work, anyway. And Grandpa is worried about you too, so he asked me to take care of you on behalf of my brother." Jennifer didn't take the passenger seat but chose to sit in the back. She deliberately kept some distance from Jordan. "I'm sure this is a huge inconvenie
"Shut the fuck up! Don't embarrass me here!" Jordan was afraid of being overheard, so he tried to pull her away. But Bridget refused to give up and angrily scolded, "Did you find another woman? Who's the bitch that seduced you this time?"The crowd of onlookers grew and were now whispering among themselves. Jordan's dignity was shattered. He pointed at the crowd and yelled, "What are you looking at? Get the hell back to work!"He then turned to Bridget. "If you don't leave now, I'll call security to kick you out!"But Bridget wouldn't give up. She shrieked hysterically, "You promised that you'd invest in my movie! Are you going back on your words?"Jordan narrowed his eyes and sneered. "Have you looked in the mirror recently? If I'd invested in you, wouldn't I just be throwing money away?""You're a big fat liar, Jordan Lance! You seduced me and won't take responsibility!" Bridget accused him loudly, wishing to attract more people to expose Jordan's true colors. But Jordan h
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