Sarah didn’t want to pay attention to the things happening online. The rumors had been flying all day. When she woke up that morning, she immediately felt a severe cramp in her abdomen and struggled to get out of bed.She endured the intense pain as she got dressed and put on her shoes. Mia was already awake.This pain was something she knew all too well. Without even thinking, she knew it was her period.It was during moments like this that she couldn’t help but remember everything Zachary had done for her—taking her to the hospital, preparing meals and medicine for her.She recalled the last time her period came; Zachary had taken care of her the whole time.That's how memories work - just when you think you've forgotten someone, familiar moments bring everything rushing back.She had Mia help her to the hospital, which wasn’t far from the estate, just a short walk.The hospital smelled of disinfectant, and her nose no longer caught the scent of cedarwood.She had asked herse
Sarah stared blankly at the approaching figure. Why was she here too?"Miss Wilson, you're here as well?" Sarah forced a smile.Vivian walked to Zachary's side, casually resting her hand on his arm. "Zachary came with me. Are you feeling unwell, Miss Sanders?"Sarah lifted her medicine bag. "Yes, a bit."Vivian held up her own bag, smiling. "Oh? We're getting the same medicine! What a coincidence, on the same day too."Sarah froze. So Zachary had come for Vivian."What a coincidence indeed," she murmured.She couldn't bear to look at Zachary's face. Under Vivian's gaze, words failed her.Though she was Zachary's girlfriend, she felt like the other woman caught in the act, as if Vivian were the rightful partner."Has Mia improved? Miss Sanders, I've seen the rumors online. I know they're not true," Vivian said kindly.Sarah nodded slightly. "Mia's showing some improvement, but it's subtle."Mia stayed behind Sarah, peering timidly at Zachary and Vivian as if they were strange
"Zachary, Grandpa instructed you to take care of me, and Grandpa William insisted too. If you're not nice to me, I'll have to tell on you!" Vivian matched his pace.Zachary slowed down, suppressing his anger.At the Chancer residence.Since discovering the incident, James had been ignoring Charlotte completely.When she brought coffee to his study, he wouldn't even look at her.After just two days of this treatment, Charlotte felt so suffocated that she even thought of leaving. Seeing that James ignored her again at his study, she finally snapped."James, what do you want from me? Are you still thinking about Sarah? I deleted the article!" she cried.James glanced at her coldly. "Is deleting it enough? What about the damage to Sarah?"Charlotte stumbled, staring at him in disbelief. "So what? You want me to apologize to her? Is that it?""Shouldn't you?" James countered.Charlotte's crying turned to laughter. "I'm your wife, and this is how you treat me? You never used to be
Her left cheek burned as she covered it with her hand."Get out! Stop bothering me! I'll slap you every time I see you," Sarah said coldly before walking away.Charlotte slowly stood up, holding her cheek. She drove straight to James's office, looking pitifully at him."James, I apologized to Sarah." She moved her hand, revealing an obvious red handprint."What happened to your face?" James asked."Sarah slapped me. She must have been very angry," she said plaintively, hoping for sympathy.Instead, James gave her a cold glance and returned to his computer.Melvin had already started making moves. James had just learned that Melvin was approaching their new business partners."Go home. I'm busy."Charlotte's heart felt like ice.After several consultations with Dr. Rogera, Sarah modified Mia's treatment plan with good results. Mia could now sleep without sleeping pills or hypnosis.However, she still couldn't handle strangers and stayed glued to Sarah's side.The biggest new
The Reynolds mansion buzzed with activity for William's homecoming. At the ornate rectangular dining table, William sat at the head, with Mr. Wilson next to him, followed by Vivian. Zachary sat on the right."Vivian, come sit by me," William insisted, pointing to Zachary's seat. Vivian exchanged places with Zachary, smiling."To your recovery, Grandpa William." Vivian drained her wine glass while he had tea."You're truly Wilson's granddaughter - so spirited!" William finished his tea in response.During dinner, Vivian checked her phone and stood to greet someone. She returned with Mia and... Sarah."Zachary, Mia should be here for Grandpa William's homecoming. Since she needs Sarah, I invited them both. You don't mind?"He hadn't seen Mia in days."Of course not. Thank you for being so thoughtful," Zachary replied formally, studying Sarah intently. Why had she agreed to come?Sarah and Mia sat in the corner. William acknowledged Sarah with a nod while showing great concern for
William watched Vivian approvingly. She was Wilson's only grandchild and future heir.Sarah poured juice for Mia, who focused on her dessert.William, not having seen Mia in ages, ordered her favorite dishes. "Miss Sanders, thank you for caring for Mia, especially after the kidnapping incident. The Reynolds family is grateful. Tell Zachary if you need anything."His words, though polite, clearly marked Sarah as an outsider."You're too kind, Mr. Reynolds."Vivian studied Sarah with an unreadable expression, playing the perfect hostess as if to make a point."Miss Sanders, you were unwell when I invited you at the hospital. Don't refuse this time. Brother Zachary hired Ming Zhen's chef to celebrate Grandpa's recovery. Remember we mentioned dining at St. Ritz? This makes up for it," Vivian smiled.Sarah nodded, finally recognizing the familiar taste of the blue shrimp - Steven's cooking.Right then, Steven brought out a dish. "Mr. Reynolds, this is my latest creation, just for yo
Vivian approached gently. "Mia, Grandpa's waiting. He's worried. Will you say hello to him?"Despite everyone's coaxing, Mia held Sarah's wrist tightly, shaking her head.Seeing Vivian's pleading look, Sarah gently removed Mia's hand. "I won't leave, Mia. I'll be back after you see Grandpa, just like at Melvin’s house - I always return after my walks."Surprisingly, Mia let go and followed Vivian upstairs.Sarah walked to the garden, understanding William's concerns. With the online drama about Mia's worsening condition under her care, anyone would have doubts - especially William, who already disliked her.As the moon rose, Zachary approached.Her heart jumped. They hadn't been alone in ages. She glanced behind him, fearing Vivian's appearance like before."She's not coming," Zachary said, reading her mind.Sarah frowned. So he could only talk to her when Vivian wasn't around?"Won't you explain?" Her voice trembled.Zachary's eyes darkened as he reached for her.She steppe
Vivian brought Mia in. "Thank you for coming, Professor Watson.”Having already received Mia's medical records, Professor Watson gestured for her to sit. Mia nervously clasped her hands, face pale, staring at her feet."Relax," Wang said gently.Mia sat and closed her eyes, still gripping her clothes anxiously.Wang tried hypnosis, which Mia was familiar with from Sarah's sessions. She fell asleep quickly but wouldn't answer any questions.He checked her records in disbelief. "This has never happened before.""She's been like this since the kidnapping," Vivian noted, thinking how fragile Mia's mind was.Eager to prove himself, he tried entering her subconscious. When he suggested the sky was red, Mia snapped.Her eyes flew open as she pointed at Professor Watson, screaming. Her cries brought William running.He held Mia protectively. "What's wrong? What did you do to her?"Having seen her episodes before, his heart ached. Everyone tried calming her to impress William, making
The scenery here had a unique charm. The entire villa complex was surrounded by lush greenery that blended naturally with the surroundings. The designer's bold vision was enough to make anyone feel a sense of wonder.The driver turned off the engine and said dutifully through the rearview mirror, "Miss, we've arrived. Would you like to get out?"Vivian stared silently at these homes that even a fortune couldn't buy, then nodded.The driver got out and opened the rear door for her.Stepping onto the ground in her high heels, Vivian noticed the uneven cobblestones covering the entrance to the villa and immediately thought the designer must have been out of their mind.She tried taking a few steps and nearly twisted her ankle.With no choice left, Vivian had to take off her shoes and carry them, continuing forward carefully.She couldn't help wondering if she had made a mistake. How could Zachary possibly live in such an odd place?However, halfway there, she saw a black Range Rove
The vineyard manager frowned when he heard this, walking over to ask, "What did they say?"Seeing his manager, the worker quickly embellished the conversation, raising his fist indignantly. "Sir, don't worry. If they dare cause trouble, we won't back down. We'll make sure they regret coming here."The vineyard manager, "..." What a jumbled mess—he could barely understand what the worker was saying.Still, Vivian had a point. Even if they chose not to continue the partnership, there was no need to burn bridges completely. That wouldn't benefit him either.With this in mind, the vineyard manager calmed down his overly excited worker. "That's enough. Send them a message and tell them five o'clock this afternoon, River Café. Don't be late."Finally meeting the vineyard manager, Vivian got straight to the point, "Mr. Mendeson, I won't play games with you. Before deciding to work with you, the Wilson Group researched your public information. I have some understanding of your character. B
At the front desk, Sarah watched seven or eight people standing in line, all holding identical discount vouchers. This was likely a company team-building activity.She listened to their chatty discussions, which included some crude language as they made no effort to hide their rough backgrounds."This place is so luxurious! The company really splurged to send us somewhere this fancy. I've never stayed in such a nice hotel in my life.""Me neither, but let's not forget why we're actually here and pretend we're just on vacation!""Oh, come on, who's going to forget?"Sarah's ears perked up. These people's conversation seemed suspicious, almost as if they wanted others to notice them.After about fifteen minutes, when everyone ahead had finally checked in, Sarah presented her VIP custom invitation and completed her member registration. She lay on the spacious bed in a room with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered views of the beach and ocean.It was noon, and sunlight spilled onto
"Mr. Sanders, I believe I was very clear in my email. With the current uncertain situation, cooperating with me is the most rational choice," Zachary said seriously.Melvin burst out laughing. "I might have believed you if you'd said this a few years ago, but times have changed. Zachary, do you remember what you promised me before? Have you kept any of those promises? Neither three years ago nor now have you delivered."When Melvin mentioned three years ago, Zachary's eyes filled with gravity and shame. No one understood better than they did what had happened—that horrific scene was too painful to even think about.He moved his lips. "People can't always live in the past."Even he couldn't believe his own words.Melvin said with self-mockery, "Listen to yourself. How absurd that sounds. People indeed can't live in the past forever, but Sarah has been trapped in that darkness for three years. Do you dare to face it? To uncover it?"After being wounded, a bleeding injury slowly form
Vivian exhaled deeply and said anxiously, "Grandfather, what happened last time upset Zachary, and he won't see me now. But I'll handle it properly."Old Mr. Wilson gave Vivian a meaningful look. "Good. I certainly trust your abilities."After seeing Old Mr. Wilson into his car, Vivian returned to her office and made a mysterious phone call, giving some instructions.After hanging up, her face broke into a satisfied smile, as if she was already enjoying the sweet taste of victory.At the Sanders Group."Smack." Sarah hit Melvin hard on the head.Melvin winced in pain. "Are you doing this on purpose? Taking personal revenge? I haven't even bothered you lately."Sarah shrugged, looking innocent. "Didn't you say your right eyelid keeps twitching? The left means money coming, the right means trouble. I'm just using an old folk remedy to ward off the bad luck."Melvin couldn't help rolling his eyes. "I don't know if the bad luck is gone, but I almost got a concussion from your 'remed
"Don't any of you have something to say?" Old Mr. Wilson sat in the chairman's exclusive seat, leaning back with an expressionless face as he surveyed the room.Some shareholders had come just out of respect for Old Mr. Wilson. They exchanged glances for a moment before Mr. Jefferson finally broke the silence, "What if we lower our prices or add more package deals?"As soon as he finished speaking, several members of the company's management team eagerly agreed. "Mr. Jefferson makes a good point."Old Mr. Wilson twirled the dragon-headed cane in his right hand, his expression revealing neither approval nor disapproval.Vivian, who had remained silent since the start of the meeting, finally spoke up, "I don't think that's appropriate."She looked at everyone present, her tone serious, "First, the Sanders Group's revenue has already exceeded the projected line by over a billion. If we lower our prices, even if we attract more customers, the overall result will be the same."By this
Vivian never expected that despite her orders to keep the detained shipment a secret, the board of directors would somehow catch wind of it.As soon as the meeting began, the middle-aged man sitting in the first seat on the right frowned and questioned her, "Ms. Wilson, are you hiding something from us?"Mr. Jefferson had the largest shareholding in the Wilson Group after Vivian and her grandfather. Compared to others, his words carried more authority.Naturally, Vivian had to show him some respect, given that she was the younger generation."Mr. Jefferson, by seniority, I should call you Uncle. You've watched me grow up. Do you think I would hide anything from you?" Vivian decided to play dumb first. She was certain these people had only heard rumors and hadn't yet gathered evidence.This was indeed the case. Mr. Jefferson narrowed his eyes, his expression unchanged, speaking in a tone that was half-joking, half-threatening, "Ms. Wilson, please don't say that. When it comes to bus
Charlotte ignored her, still peering behind the caretaker.The caretaker patted her chest and smiled as she approached. "Are you looking for Mr. Chancer? He went back to work. He asked me to take care of you. I thought you might wake up soon, so I went out to buy some nutritious soup for you.""You're saying he left? He left before I even woke up?" Charlotte struggled to open her dry lips, her voice raspier than ever before.Hearing this, the caretaker quickly set down the thermos and handed her the cup of tea from the table. "Please drink some water to soothe your throat, but don't drink too much. You've just given birth, so try to stay in bed and rest as much as possible."Charlotte found the water being offered to her ironically bitter.She had endured excruciating pain to give birth to James's child, yet he couldn't even spare a simple "thank you" for her efforts. Was this the marriage she had schemed so hard to get?Did she regret it? If someone asked, she might answer yes, b
"Answer me. Do you most hope it's heads or tails?" Sarah's voice carried an undeniable authority.The woman finally spoke. "Tails."Before Sarah's hand moved, the woman hurriedly corrected herself, "No, no, no—heads."Her indecisiveness reminded Sarah of her former self. Choosing between reason and emotion was often the hardest decision. It had once taken her several days to make up her mind.Sarah opened her palm. The woman's eyes widened, staring as if trying to burn a hole through Sarah's hand. But quickly, she discovered that Sarah's palm was completely empty. There was no coin at all.No heads or tails—there wasn't even a coin to begin with.Seeing the woman's confused expression, Sarah smiled and said, "In the moment I opened my hand, your heart already had the answer. I can't tell you how to solve your problem, nor can I make the decision for you. But you should know that you only have one life, while love can be found more than once. The fact that you're troubled by this s