Camila quickly grabbed Madison's hand and turned to Maxwell. "Oh, by the way, Madison's sister has a parent-teacher meeting today. "Can you believe it? She's still so young, and her parents just left Madison to take care of everything. Her sister's school is near your office, so why don't you give her a ride?"Madison kept her head down, staying silent. However, her heart raced with excitement. Finally, a chance to be alone with Maxwell. She wasn't going to let this slip away.Maxwell, however, didn't seem too thrilled. He frowned and replied, "She can take the subway. I've got a meeting at the branch office later, and I'm not heading to Lance Group. It's out of the way."Yet, Camila wasn't ready to back down. "The subway station is miles from here, and Haven City's lines are always packed. Come on, just give her a ride. Do me a favor, will you?"While they talked, Jennifer quietly observed Camila and Madison. Martha's warning from earlier that morning lingered in her mind, and s
However, thinking of Rachel, Jennifer decided to tread carefully. After all, Rachel had once come across as gentle and soft-spoken too. Yet, she had been capable of the most ruthless acts, all while wearing the sweetest smile."So, Madison, you're only 19, right? You haven't been in a relationship yet, have you?" Jennifer asked, as if striking up a casual conversation.The question caught Madison off guard. A wave of anxiety washed over her as she feared that Jennifer had picked up on something. She hurriedly replied, "No, I really don't have much dating experience. My family is struggling, and I've always focused on my studies, so I haven't thought about these things."Jennifer nodded in acknowledgment. "Well, it's about time you started thinking about it. It'd be a shame to go through university without ever being in a relationship. Some of the best kinds of love happen during school. By the way, is there anyone in your class you have a crush on?" she inquired with a smile.A
Jennifer and Maxwell exchanged playful banter all the way to the charity gala. Before long, they arrived at the venue.In the distance, Jennifer spotted a familiar figure. "Look, isn't that Laurie?" she exclaimed, her excitement evident as she tugged at Maxwell's hand.However, a thought crossed her mind when she saw Simon arriving alongside Laura. Her gaze grew dimmer, and she asked in a hushed tone, "What exactly is the relationship between Laurie and Simon now?"After all, she had regained her memories. She vividly recalled how that insufferable man had once brought Laura before her, subjecting her to cruel humiliation five years ago. Had Laura truly endured such treatment all this time?Maxwell sensed her unease and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I can't say for sure what their relationship is, but Jennifer, today is an important occasion. Just try to stay calm."Taking a deep breath, Jennifer tried to compose herself. Yet, the thought of Laura spending so many years w
Simon glanced at Fiona, who was striding toward them. He then smiled calmly at the business partners he had been speaking with and uttered, "Excuse me for a moment."With that, he guided Laura to a secluded corner of the venue, somewhere they could speak without drawing too much attention.As expected, Fiona followed closely, her eyes burning with anger. "Why did you bring this bitch here?" she hissed.A wave of humiliation washed over Laura. At the same time, Simon turned to her, saying, "Why don't you wait for me over there?"She was eager to leave. If she stayed a moment longer, she feared she might lose her composure and confront Fiona then and there.Once Laura walked away, Fiona scoffed. "Why is she here? I specifically told you to bring Hailey. This was the perfect chance to introduce her as your fiancée.""She has surgery tonight and can't make it," Simon replied nonchalantly, swirling the champagne in his glass.Fiona's tone sharpened. "Even so, how could you bring some
Jennifer wasn't particularly knowledgeable about jewelry, nor did she have much interest in it. She simply thought it looked nice.Beside her, Laura whispered in awe, "Oh my gosh! It's stunning! Jennifer, look at that! It's absolutely beautiful. Every necklace Kalanthe designs just takes my breath away."Simon, sitting next to her, observed her reaction. Though he appeared indifferent, his gaze was drawn to the beauty and expressiveness of Laura's face.Lost in her admiration, Laura wondered which wealthy buyer would ultimately claim that necklace."This blue diamond necklace is called Sea of Dreams," the auctioneer announced. "It's Kalanthe's latest creation this year, with a starting bid of six million dollars!"Bids quickly began rolling in. "Seven million!""Eight million!""16 million!"As soon as Maxwell placed his bid, the room fell silent.Jennifer's eyes widened in shock. She quickly leaned in and whispered, "Are you out of your mind? 16 million dollars for a neckla
Laura was all too familiar with Simon's unpredictable moods. It wasn't the first time he had humiliated her.So, she simply gave him a smile and said, "Well, if there's a guy out there who's better looking, wealthier, and more skilled than you, I might actually consider it."Simon sneered, leaning in slightly. His cool lips brushed against her ear as he whispered, "You should know just how skilled I am. After all, you were screaming when I really put that to the test. Don't tell me it slipped your mind."Laura's face flushed red at his words, her heart pounding in her chest.If she ever revealed to anyone that beneath Simon's polished manners and charming appearance lay a twisted, manipulative man, no one would believe her.Seeing Laura's flustered reaction, Simon's lips curved into a smirk. He seemed to enjoy her discomfort.Maxwell and Jennifer finally wrapped up their speeches on stage. Thanks to Laura's shawl, no one had noticed Jennifer's gown had a split seam. But even af
Laura feared that Simon would see through her, so she quickly shook her head and replied, "It's nothing."After all, he was too perceptive. Sometimes, a single glance was all it took for him to know what she was thinking.At that moment, Simon's skepticism was unmistakable. His piercing gaze bore into Laura, making her gulp nervously.Choosing to play it safe, she leaned into his embrace and gently wrapped her arms around his waist, behaving like a loyal pet. She knew he appreciated it when she acted this way.As expected, a pleased smile tugged at the corners of Simon's mouth as his slender fingers wove through Laura's hair. "What prompted this sudden willingness? Do you want something from me?"Laura hesitated for a moment before cautiously speaking up. "This weekend is my dad's 57th birthday. Can I go see him?"As soon as the words escaped her lips, Simon shoved her away. "Laura, don't push your luck! What makes you think I'd ever agree to your request?"Her heart sank at his
The brand representative for the gown Jennifer wore rushed to the Lance residence. Their gown had suffered a significant failure, and it had happened to the Lances! Naturally, no one would take this lightly.By the time Jennifer and Maxwell arrived home, the representative was already waiting for them."Mrs. Lance, I'm truly sorry for the trouble this has caused. It's entirely our responsibility," the brand representative apologized. "Honestly, our gowns are all custom-made, and we've never encountered a situation like this before."Would you mind changing out of it? We'd like to take it back for inspection and figure out what went wrong. We promise to provide you with a satisfactory answer."Seeing their earnest effort to resolve the issue, Jennifer decided not to ask Maxwell to make things difficult for them.…When Laura visited Harry at Haven City Prison, she was struck by how absurd her thoughts that day had been.This was Simon, after all. How could he possibly be at someo