Jennifer was stunned. Maxwell's relentless pressure made her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles.Just like that, under his threats and sweet talk, she felt cruelly mistreated. It was as if she were a defenseless rabbit deceived by a big bad wolf. The night seemed to drag on forever, filled with an increasing sense of dread.…The next morning, Jennifer was awakened by Maxwell's kiss. She could not fathom how he had such boundless energy and stamina. As Maxwell's hand slid under her skirt, Jennifer quickly stopped him. "I have to go to school. I did everything you asked yesterday. Can you let me off the hook today?" she pleaded softly, her face turning red. The memory of Jennifer taking the initiative to seductively tease him the previous night made Maxwell's desire reignite. He held her hand and kissed it. "Yesterday, someone told me they wouldn't go to work anymore and would stay home to serve me."Jennifer was taken aback. She had not expected him to remember
Jennifer hurriedly caught up with Maxwell. "I did everything you asked last night. About Yale Corporation, you—"Before she could finish her sentence, Maxwell interrupted, "You don't need to keep talking about it. I know what to do."Jennifer was reluctant to say more as her attempt to speak was silenced by him, and she was afraid of angering him.…At Lance Group, Maxwell went through the information Michael had investigated and was shocked to the core. He had long suspected something was amiss when Zion's financial chain collapsed out of the blue. Why would banks suddenly halt their loans? And what could prompt business partners to withdraw abruptly?Everything seemed orchestrated as if someone was behind it. However, Maxwell could not understand why this person would be Simon. Michael analyzed, "Mr. Lance, if we lend money to Yale Corporation, won't that sour things with Mr. Moore? Considering your relationship with him, it might not be the wisest move."Maxwell massaged
As soon as the words escaped Maxwell's lips, it immediately dawned on him. If even he could think of that, how could a lawyer, with such meticulous reasoning, overlook such a thing?Simon must have considered all these aspects before continuing his investigations. That was how he discovered the connection between Zion and what happened to Anthony, his father.Maxwell did not push further. After all, Simon would not tell him everything due to his relationship with Jennifer. But thinking of her, Maxwell could not help but ask, "Tell me, what do you plan to do with Zion? Or, how much is he involved in your father's death?"If he understood the full extent of their connection, he could at least speculate on Simon's plans for handling Zion."You know I won't tell you anything. If you want to help Jennifer, go ahead. But what I want to do is my business," Simon replied, enunciating each word deliberately. Maxwell's heart clenched upon hearing that, his gaze penetrating. "But now th
Maxwell had anticipated Zion's reaction. He nodded and answered, "I got it. You can leave now."…That evening, after work, Maxwell went to the cardiac surgery department entrance to pick Jennifer up. Coincidentally, he saw Jennifer coming out of the department with Nathan. Maxwell did not know what they were talking about. But Nathan flashed a gentle smile at Jennifer, who returned the smile in kind. It had been a long time since Jennifer had smiled at Maxwell like that. When they spotted Maxwell standing at the door, their smiles disappeared simultaneously. Nathan's eyes held a mix of emotions, and without even greeting Maxwell, he told Jennifer, "Remember not to be late anymore. I'll take my leave now.""Goodbye, Dr. Lowe," Jennifer politely bid him farewell. At the same time, she could sense the awkward tension in the air.Noticing Maxwell's displeasure, she quickly explained, "I was assisting Dr. Lowe in surgery today. That's why we came out together."The sight of Je
Jennifer's eyes were red with anger as she shouted at him, "Maxwell Lance, you've gone too far!"Yet, Maxwell ignored her. Instead, he said, "It's time to visit Grandpa. Remember what you promised me. We have to act like everything's fine in front of him. Don't let him see through us."Jennifer genuinely wanted to refuse. However, putting on this act was more than getting his help for Zion's company. It was also about giving Robert peace of mind in his final days. With that, she went with Maxwell to Robert's ward.Robert observed them as they entered hand in hand, suspicion evident in his eyes. "Grandpa, why are you looking at us like that?" Jennifer inquired with a faint smile. "You're making me feel embarrassed."She tried her best to appear natural, hoping to fool Robert's sharp eyes.With a scoff, Robert adjusted his reading glasses. He then stared at Maxwell and remarked, "You rascal! Did you force Jennifer to act with you so you can fool me again?"Maxwell feigned helpl
Jennifer looked at Robert in surprise. She thought about how well Jordan had treated her in the past and remarked, "Mr. Jordan isn't like that, right? Maybe it's his parents' idea.""Well, like mother, like son. I know exactly what they're up to," Robert answered. Then, a smug smile spread across his face before adding, "But don't worry. I've already prepared the will a long time ago. With you by Maxwell's side, I can rest easy handing over Lance Group to him. "Jennifer, though I always criticize Maxwell, he's still the grandson I raised on my own. His mother left the Lance family when he was very young, and his father had another child with that woman. "You're aware of all these things. He may appear cold and distant, but he's actually in desperate need of love. "He grew up without his parents around, and his father never treated him like his own son. I-I genuinely feel sorry for him."A dull ache surged from within as Jennifer listened to Robert's words. It was not a sharp
Jordan's expression changed slightly as he clenched his fists tightly.Lorraine, on the other hand, could not hold back any longer. "You've already divorced Jennifer, haven't you? Why are you still referring to her as your wife?"After all, Robert was extremely unhappy about Maxwell's divorce. So, she figured their family could use this to their advantage.But now, who would have guessed Jennifer had returned? Were they planning to remarry? Perhaps they thought of exploiting Robert's affection for Jennifer to gain more of his assets.At that thought, Lorraine reacted instantly, her anger palpable."Don't think I'm unaware of your plans!" she spat. "No woman would tolerate their husband having an illegitimate child. "You're just acting with Jennifer to curry favor with Mr. Lance Senior. You're afraid he'll hand over control of Lance Group to Jordan, right?"Maxwell's gaze sharpened as he processed her words. Suddenly, realization dawned upon him. "Was it you who told Grandpa abo
Maxwell's lips curled into a faint smile as he reached out to hold Jennifer's hand."Dad, you heard what Jennifer said, didn't you? So, there's no need for you to worry. I'm not one to leave my opponents any way out."Suppressing his anger, Zachary let out a disdainful snort. With Lorraine and Jordan in tow, he barked, "Let's go!"With every word Jennifer spoke in defense of Maxwell, Jordan felt a sharp pain in his heart. It was as if something was gripping it tightly, making it hard to breathe.He gazed intently at Jennifer before following his parents into Robert's ward. It was only after they had all left that Jennifer finally heaved a sigh of relief. Immediately after, she felt Maxwell's intense gaze locked onto her. Startled, she quickly lowered her head and asked softly, "Why are you looking at me like that?""Earlier… Why did you suddenly speak up for me?"Maxwell's eyes were fixed on Jennifer. He was afraid he would miss any subtle expression of hers. "You're not tr
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
"Simon Moore!" Laura had enough and huffed. "I never thought you were so frivolous! I know I can't stop you, nor do I have the right to. But can you leave me out of it? I don't want to watch you guys mess around!" Simon's voice was low and husky. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken you. I thought since Joseph is your superior, it might be good to introduce you two so he would go easier on you at work. I didn't expect to upset you." Laura shot him a gloomy look. "Do you wish I was more like those two hostesses? What did you guys even do after I left?" Simon couldn't help but laugh. Her jealousy pleased him.His tone softened. "I could go to any club if I wanted women like that. Why would I need you?"Laura snorted. "Who knows what you and Joseph used to do together? Only a fool would believe you!"Simon knew that she was just upset. He ruffled her hair and explained, "Joseph wasn't always like this. He was hurt by a woman, and... He became cynical and stubborn after. He's bee
Laura's expression turned unpleasant after hearing the rules. She quickly turned to Simon.Did this mean they always played games like these when Joseph visited? The thought of Simon being with hostesses in her absence disgusted Laura. Joseph chimed in, "Come on, Simon! Let's play a few rounds, then we'll eat! I rarely get to visit Haven City, so you have to party with me until I'm satisfied!" The two hostesses by his side set a pair of dice on the table. They smiled flirtatiously. "Let's just play the dice game. If Mr. Zone loses, we'll take something off. If Mr. Moore loses, then…" Simon cut them off. "Laura doesn't play these kinds of games, and she won't." One of the hostesses rolled her eyes. "Isn't this the most basic game in any club?" Simon's expression darkened. Noticing his mood, Joseph quickly shot the hostess a look, signaling her to stop talking. Then, he tried to lighten the awkward atmosphere with a laugh. "Simon, are you keeping things solid at hom