LOGINLeon slammed his silverwares onto the table with a loud clack. The sudden noise made Sarah flinch.“I’m not finished eating,” he said coldly.Sarah frowned. “Then keep eating.”“Has no one ever taught you table manners?” His tone grew sharper. “It’s rude to leave the table before everyone’s done.”The more hostile he became, the less patience Sarah had. She didn’t even want to argue anymore. With a quiet sigh, she sat back down at the table.Leon’s eyes darkened with disappointment. If she were truly Sarah, she would’ve argued with him, not silently obeyed.“Why are you listening to me?” he asked bitterly.Sarah rolled her eyes. “What the hell is with you?”“She’d never curse like that,” Leon said, his voice icy.Sarah didn’t even bother replying this time. She just stared blankly at the table, her expression calm but distant.Seeing her like that, Leon lost all interest. He picked up his utensils, sliced into his steak, and forced down a few bites before his appetite vanishe
Mia skipped cheerfully toward the pantry, leaving only Mandy and Zachary in the office.Mandy placed the small thermos she’d been holding on his desk, her voice soft and uncertain. “Mr. Reynolds, I made some soup. Would you like to try it?”She glanced timidly at the man behind the desk. His features were sharp, his eyes dark and distant, carrying a kind of cold solitude that made her heart pound.She had known about him long before this day. She had seen his name in magazines, his photos in business headlines, and had even fantasized about what it might be like to stand in front of him.Now that she finally was, so close she could see every detail of his face, her pulse raced uncontrollably. If she could just get closer to him… maybe everything would change.She took another hesitant step forward. “Mr. Reynolds, I…”“I don’t want it. Thank you.”Zachary finally lifted his gaze from the computer. The moment his eyes met hers, Mandy froze. His stare was so cold it felt like ice s
After saying that, she went upstairs with the nanny.Charlotte’s chest tightened painfully. She pressed a hand to her heart and looked at James, but his cold, distant gaze only deepened her agony.Standing beside him, Lucy’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Charlotte, you really do look pitiful right now. I almost feel sorry for you but honestly, you brought this on yourself.”James shot her a glance. “That’s enough. Go back to your room.”Hearing her brother’s tone, Lucy didn’t dare say another word. She glared at Charlotte before storming off upstairs.Now, only James and Charlotte were left in the living room. Charlotte hurried to him, grabbing his arm. “James, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have treated Callum that way. I just wanted you to come back home… to us.”Tears streamed down her face, her voice trembling as she tried to win back his heart.But no matter how much she cried, James remained unmoved, his eyes cold and unreadable.Finally, Charlotte’s strength
Most people in the room didn’t understand what Charlotte meant, but James did. His expression turned to stone, his jaw tight, his eyes full of disgust as he looked at her.Charlotte, already past the point of caring, spoke again. “Fine. I’ll agree to the divorce. But Callum comes with me.”“No.”“Absolutely not!”Mrs. Chancer and Lucy’s voices overlapped in perfect unison.Charlotte ignored them, her eyes fixed on James. “I can’t live without him.”James’s tone was cold and analytical, like he was discussing a business deal. “You staged your own child’s kidnapping. If this goes to court, there’s no chance they’ll grant you custody.”“James, you might as well kill me,” she said, staggering back a few steps, her body trembling and unsteady.Mr. Garner stepped forward, his face drawn tight. For the sake of his company’s future, he forced his voice to stay firm. “Mr. and Mrs. Chancer, what Charlotte did was wrong. I won’t defend her. But Callum’s still a child, he needs his mothe
Lucy, standing off to the side, couldn’t resist stirring things up. “Someone like her never deserved to marry my brother. They should’ve divorced ages ago.”Mr. and Mrs. Garner were stunned. They had never imagined their own daughter had planned the kidnapping of her son. The shock hit so hard it left them frozen for a full minute.Mr. Garner’s face went from pale to ashen. A proud man by nature, he looked as though he wanted to walk out right then and there.He took a shaky breath and tried to steady himself. “James, divorce isn’t just a private matter. It affects both our families’ companies. Shouldn’t we think this through more carefully?”James’s tone stayed calm. “Don’t worry, sir. I’ve already considered the aftermath. I can assure you, even if Charlotte and I divorce, the partnership between our companies will continue according to contract. Nothing will change.”That only made Mr. Garner’s face turn three shades whiter. That wasn’t what he meant at all. What he cared about
She stepped into the foyer and immediately spotted her parents on the sofa, with Mrs. Chancer sitting across from them.“Dad, Mom, what are you doing here?” Charlotte forced a smile while a cold knot formed in her stomach. She tried to shove down the bad feeling and walked over like everything was fine.Mrs. Garner rose and slapped Charlotte lightly on the arm. “Charlotte, something huge happened and you didn’t tell us.”Lucy piled on, dramatic as ever. “Weren’t you supposed to have told your parents yesterday afternoon?”Charlotte shot her a hard look. “Shut up.”“Mom, Dad, how did you find out?” Charlotte asked, trying to steer them away.“We saw the news. The whole city’s talking about the missing baby. Why didn’t you tell us you need cash? Even if we don’t have much, we could have helped.”“It’s over now. The baby’s back,” Charlotte said, a little too quickly. “You two must have been up all night worrying. Go home and rest.”She hadn’t slept either, not since eight last nig







