Maxwell looked at Jennifer, puzzled. "What… did you mean by that?"Jennifer smiled and changed the subject. "Nothing important. Let's not bring up unpleasant things anymore, okay? Cal's coming back from Minalur tomorrow. Let's go pick him up together. I miss him already.""Alright, we'll go together with Cass," Maxwell agreed. He paused with worry. "Have you noticed that Cass's been a bit… down lately?"Jennifer nodded. "I've noticed too. It's strange. She used to chatter nonstop, and now she barely says a word and always seems down."Maxwell took a deep breath and frowned. "Could it be that she's getting bullied at school and is afraid to tell us?""How is that even possible?" Jennifer rolled her eyes at him. "You've already spoken with the principal and teachers. If anyone tried to bully Cass, the teachers would step in immediately."She stood up. "I'll go check on Cass."In Cassidy's room, she was sitting at her desk blankly. When she heard footsteps, she looked toward the do
The next day, Jennifer and Maxwell went to the airport to pick up Caleb. He happily brought out gifts he had brought back for his parents, grandma, and sister. "Here's a necklace for Mommy, a tie for Daddy, and a scarf for Grandma! By the way, where's Cass?"Jennifer and Maxwell were delighted to receive the gifts, feeling proud that their son was finally growing up. Meanwhile, Camila thought to herself that Caleb would be perfect if only he wasn't Jennifer's blood.Maxwell told Caleb, "Cass isn't home from school yet. You can put her gift in her room and surprise her when she gets back."Caleb winked at Maxwell. "Do you think she'll still be upset? I brought her the most gifts—chocolate, a doll, and a cute dress."Maxwell chuckled. "If I were Cass, I'd think I have the best brother and wouldn't be upset at all.""Really?" Caleb ran straight to Cassidy's room as soon as they got home, eager to hide the gifts in her closet.Later that evening, when Cassidy came home, she wasn't as
Cassidy put down her utensils and ran upstairs. Jennifer and Maxwell were stunned, unable to understand why their daughter was acting this way. Camila scolded them, "What's wrong with both of you? Why are you being so harsh? Poor Cassidy! She's just a little girl. How can you speak to her like that?"With that, she went upstairs, pretending to be concerned about Cassidy. Jennifer was too upset to keep eating, and Maxwell didn't know how to scold Cassidy. They wanted to check on their daughter, but Caleb needed comforting too. So, they stayed and consoled him first.…In her room, Cassidy lay on her bed, sobbing. Camila walked over. "There you go again, crying. But have your parents come to comfort you?"Cassidy sat up and leaned into Camila's arms. "Grandma, what should I do? It feels like Daddy and Mommy don't like me anymore.""Oh, Grandma worries about you too. Look at how biased your parents are," Camila said slyly. "When your mom's new baby is born, they'll probably not want you
Maxwell nodded. "Got it."After Camila left, Cassidy continued thinking about making her mom slip. Maxwell noticed her distraction and asked, "What's on your mind?""What? No… nothing." Cassidy quickly replied. "I was just thinking, will you… hit me?"Maxwell sighed. "Do you realize you made a mistake?"Cassidy suddenly felt guilty. She glanced at Maxwell, wondering if she had gone too far at dinner and if that made her parents dislike her even more. She whispered, "I know I was wrong. Daddy, I'm sorry."Maxwell patted her head in relief. "Now, why don't you apologize to Cal, too? The things you said must have hurt him. It's okay for kids to be moody sometimes. But if it keeps happening, people start to lose heart. Then, in time, no one will care for you."Cassidy nodded. "Then… I'll apologize to Cal."Maxwell held her hand and walked her to Caleb's room. Caleb was still upset about Cassidy's behavior."Cal, don't be mad anymore," Cassidy tugged his hand and apologized.Caleb
But Cassidy refused to leave. Her reluctance revealed the truth.The teacher sighed, disappointed. "Mrs. Lance, I understand that not doing homework is mainly an academic issue and could simply mean a lack of interest in learning. We can work on that. But what's more concerning is that she's lying at such a young age."Jennifer felt like she wanted to crawl into a hole. Why was there such a big difference between her two children? Caleb had skipped grades and excelled in every subject, while Cassidy seemed to be under some sort of curse. Not only was she struggling academically but she was also lying about her homework.Jennifer sternly asked Cassidy, "Why didn't you do your homework?"Cassidy kept her head down. It wasn't that she didn't want to do it. She was just so preoccupied with debating whether or not to make her mom slip that she couldn't focus at all.Out of respect for Maxwell, the teacher refrained from criticism and said instead, "Mrs. Lance, I think lying is a much m
As Cassidy thought about the fact that after her punishment, she would likely have to stay up all night catching up on homework, she felt her life was growing bleak. Standing at her room door, she felt humiliated each time a maid passed by and saw her.By noon, she rubbed her aching legs, hoping time would speed up. Just then, Camila came with a bag of snacks."My sweet granddaughter, I pity you!" Camila pulled out the snacks. "Hurry, eat up. Your mom may not care about you, but I do!"Cassidy was moved to tears. "Thank you, Grandma. But… but Mommy didn't say I could eat. She'll be angrier if Martha tells her."Camila chuckled. "No need to worry. Your mom just went out. Don't worry, I'm here. I'd like to see who dares to trouble you!"With that, Camila led Cassidy to her room, giving her snacks and drinks. Camila feigned pity. "You poor thing. In a few months, life will only get harder for you when the baby arrives."Cassidy's heart sank. Suddenly, her favorite cookies and chocol
Maxwell was likely in the study, and Jennifer should be in the bedroom. Cassidy nervously wondered if she should really do as Camila suggested and make her mother fall. Would her parents treat her as their precious princess again, instead of being so strict with her if the baby were gone?With that thought, Cassidy began to walk toward the master bedroom. She peeked inside. No one seemed to be there. She slipped into the bathroom and stared at the bottle of body wash. Her hand trembled as she reached for it, planning to pour it onto the floor.But as soon as she touched the bottle, her heart tightened and she dropped the bottle as if it were burning in her hands.No, she couldn't do it! She didn't want her mother to fall. It would hurt her.Just then, Jennifer's voice came from behind her. "Cass, why are you here? Did you finish your homework?"Cassidy quickly turned around, staring at Jennifer in shock. Her heart was pounding against her chest.Jennifer gazed at her daughter in conf
Caleb was shocked by this and looked at Cassidy in disbelief. "Say that again. Who told you to do something like that?"Cassidy said dejectedly. "It was Grandma. She said it was our little secret, and I couldn't tell anyone else.""That's going too far!" Caleb stood up, seething. "That's evil! Do you understand? If Mommy really fell, it wouldn't just hurt a bit. You would practically be killing your own sibling!"Cassidy trembled with fear and sobbed, "It's not like that. Grandma said it would just be a little fall and wouldn't hurt much. I… I'm so glad I didn't do it."Unable to hold back his anger, Caleb stormed out and headed straight to Camila's room.Camila was in the bathroom, running water to prepare for a warm soak. She was savoring the thought that the foolish Cassidy would soon make her move. If Jennifer and Hugo wanted her and Maxwell to tear each other apart, then she would make sure Jennifer and her daughter were at odds with each other instead.She wondered if Jenni
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
Laura stared at the screen, puzzled.Simon sent another message: "I'll pick you up tonight to meet a friend."Laura was surprised. Why did Simon want to take her to meet a friend? Was she someone he could openly bring out in public? Laura consoled herself. What was she worried about if Simon was the one who invited her?So, she agreed.After work, Simon came to pick her up. Laura thought they were going for dinner or something casual. To her surprise, they went to Nimbus Lounge."This is the place?" Laura frowned. She had her biases against clubs. "Who is this friend of yours? Why meet at a place like this?" Simon parked the car "He enjoys places like these. This is his go-to spot whenever he comes to Haven City." Laura's expression shifted to one of seriousness. "So, did you invite me here just to have some fun too, Mr. Moore?" Simon caught on and sighed helplessly. "Laurie, you're too sensitive." Wouldn't staying home be far more convenient if he wanted to play
When Laura entered the conference room, she felt every gaze land on her, making her face burn with embarrassment. She wished the ground would swallow her whole.She apologized, "Sorry, there was a bit of traffic this morning, so... I'm late." Everyone waited eagerly to see her make a fool of herself. After all, Joseph was notoriously short-tempered and sharp-tongued. Even when no mistakes were made, Joseph could pick faults where none existed. Now, Laura was toying with danger, and most people assumed he would fire her on the spot. Laura stood there with her head down, like a student late for class, afraid to move until Joseph gave permission. Finally, Joseph spoke, "Come in. You can present the News Department's performance for the last quarter after the Entertainment Department." His tone was calm, almost gentle. Laura wondered if her ears were playing tricks on her. The others were equally stunned, casting shocked glances at Joseph. This was completely unlike h