“You…” Holden hesitated, like he wanted to say something but couldn’t quite find the words.Vivian didn’t press. She just looked at him quietly, waiting.“I’ve heard the rumors,” Holden said finally. “But I don’t believe them. Vivian, I came back for one simple reason—if you’re in trouble, maybe I can help.”Vivian could guess why he had returned. He probably came back just for her.But before she could respond, the office door swung open.The moment her eyes met the cold, emotionless gaze at the door, a chill crept down her spine.Leon was standing there. When had he arrived? No one had even informed her.He glanced at her, his eyes sharp and distant.Then he spoke coolly, “Come here.”Vivian instinctively took a step toward him, but Holden grabbed her arm.“Excuse me,” Holden said, calm but firm. “Whatever this is, I believe I was here first. Vivian and I aren’t finished talking. Maybe you should give us a moment.”Leon chuckled. But the smile never reached his eyes.“Mr.
The man tossed a sack at Sarah’s feet. “So, what’s it gonna be? Let us knock you out, or climb in the bag yourself?”Back at the school gate, Zachary was sprinting inside.He’d once arranged bodyguards to secretly protect Sarah, but after she discovered them and got angry, he pulled them back. Now he deeply regretted it.The campus was pitch dark as he ran toward the grove of sycamores.Meanwhile, Sarah was drenched in sweat. The two men were closing in, forcing her to choose. She stared at them with narrowed eyes. “I’m not choosing either.”“You’ve got a death wish,” one of them snarled, raising a fist and lunging toward her.Before the punch could land, a hand shot out and grabbed it mid-air.“Who the hell—?”The man looked up and froze when he saw the icy glare in Zachary’s eyes.Sarah let out a shaky breath. He had finally come.“Who are you?”Zachary didn’t answer. He knocked both men to the ground in a flash and pulled out his phone to snap clear photos of their faces.
She stomped her foot in frustration and went on. “Then Lucas’s agency came up with this ‘brilliant’ idea. They rushed us into filming a variety show—something about dating ordinary people. That’s how the whole mess started.”Sarah finally understood. So Mia didn’t even like Lucas that way.“I heard from your brother that you’re seriously thinking about joining the entertainment industry?”Mia shook her head like a rattle. “No way. I’m done. There are too many cameras, too many people watching. I just can’t do it. And it’s exhausting! Sarah, I only filmed one episode, and I’m already over it. But I still have to shoot this afternoon. Being a celebrity is brutal.”“How many more episodes do you have to do?” Sarah asked, handing her a bottle of yogurt.Mia popped the lid and took a huge gulp. “Probably a few more. Originally, the agency wanted me and Lucas to film the whole season. No way! Luckily, Lucas put his foot down, and they agreed to just four episodes. After that, they’ll ro
"By the way, what’s going on with Mia and Lucas lately? They've been all over the internet. Are those dating rumors true or not?" Sarah asked, curious.Zachary frowned slightly, his tone lowering a notch. "It’s not true. Mia’s still young. And Lucas… he doesn’t know how to protect her. I already found out who leaked the rumors. The person claimed Mia said it herself during a chat."Sarah covered her mouth with a laugh. "Sounds like you’re panicking. Afraid your little sister's about to be swept away by another guy?"“If that kid weren’t at least somewhat decent, I probably would’ve warned him off already,” Zachary said sharply.Then, catching Sarah’s smile, he spaced out for a second. “You’ve been smiling a lot more lately.”Sarah glanced at the car window. Though the glass reflected only faint light, she could still make out her own smile. “Yeah… things have been going more smoothly lately.”Vivian had lost her grip on power, and the Wilson family was a mess.The party at Pine
“A sports car,” Lucas replied.Mia forced a smile. “I think it’s better off if you keep your mouth shut.”They had been walking in silence for quite a while now, and the awkwardness was starting to get to her. A vein was twitching on her forehead.“Let’s play a game,” she said. “Trivia. If you answer correctly, you win. If you don’t, I win.”“Sure,” Lucas said, genuinely intrigued. “Ask away.”Mia’s smile brightened. “Do you know the difference between being bitten by a shark and being bitten by a crocodile?”Lucas raised a brow. “Would anyone actually know the answer to that?”Mia’s smile froze. She glared at him and quickly moved on. “Okay, new one. A wolf goes to the North Pole and accidentally falls into the icy sea. When it’s pulled out, what does it become?”Lucas stared at her with a strange expression, long enough to make Mia bristle.“I don’t know,” he finally said.Mia couldn’t help herself—she jumped in the air and made a triumphant “yes!” gesture.But before she
“What's your plan for the Wilson Corp?”“With your support, those old board members won’t dare oppose me.” Vivian’s voice was tired, and it showed in her eyes.The past few days had worn her down. There were too many problems to deal with.---At the Reynolds villa.Mia was sitting stiffly, sneaking glances at Zachary.She wasn’t sure if her brother had already seen the news online.She hadn’t expected that woman to go public with it—now there was no turning back.Just then, her phone buzzed. A message from Lucas.Lucas: “2 p.m. this afternoon. Let’s meet at International Mall.”Mia: “Okay.” She replied with a knot in her stomach.Lucas had already explained everything: a group of reporters would be hiding nearby.All they had to do was act like a couple.Wanting to save face, Mia dressed up for the ‘date.’When they met, Lucas flashed her a charming smile.“You look amazing today.”Mia rolled her eyes. “When do I not?”He handed her an ice cream. “You said you were craving it