Michelle sent her draft to the other party around 3:30 in the afternoon. By the time she picked up Lizzy, it was not even 5 o'clock. Within the span of an hour, she had received over twenty messages from the other end. awerfadf: "Did you finish the draft so quickly? I'll check it now, hang on." awerfadf: "Finished reading. Good job, you're the one." awerfadf: "I'll send you the outline in a bit. Can you write 10,000 words for me daily?" awerfadf: "Sent you the outline. Check it." awerfadf: "Check the outline, dear." awerfadf: "????" awerfadf: "An hour has passed. Are you there, sis?" awerfadf: "If you're there, just reply!!" awerfadf: "If the price is too low, I can increase it!" awerfadf: "Please don’t run away on me!! I'm begging you!!" … Michelle scrolled through the flurry of messages, her eyes finally landing on the amount transferred to her account. Wow. Are all people in this world so lavish? Throwing money around so carelessly? Michelle's past rates weren't low.
Michelle felt like she had gone mad from all the writing she had been doing recently. How could she forget something so important? Especially after hearing this morning that Alex wouldn't be available over the weekend. She had kindly, almost delicately, offered to look after the child herself. Just the thought of it made Michelle wish she could travel back in time and shake some sense into her overworked past self. Lizzy, blissfully unaware of the whirlwind of emotions inside Michelle, beamed with joy at the idea of spending the weekend out and about. In the past, her mom was always too engrossed in work, often leaving her alone at home. Even when her mother was present, she was perpetually buried in her articles, hardly ever taking Lizzy out for fun. Now, the idea of spending time outside filled Lizzy with happiness. But where should they go? After a moment of thought, Lizzy sweetly said, “Wherever you want to take me, I’m happy!” Michelle was taken aback. This sounded just like t
The union between the Zhao and Ye families faced an abrupt end when an unexpected revelation surfaced – Alex had an illegitimate daughter. The Zhao‘s, particularly Isabella with her romantic notions, were much keener on the alliance than the Ye’s. In fact, Isabella had been at the forefront, ardently pushing for the two families to become in-laws. The Ye family, while not treating the potential union as a must-have, were quite irked when the marriage discussions fell through, primarily due to the presence of Lizzy. There were two key reasons for their anger: first, the perceived benefits of the union between the two families, and second, Alex's actions that seemingly tarnished the reputation of the Ye family. Thankfully, the talks had only been exploratory, so the dissolution wasn’t too embarrassing. Still, subsequent meetings between the two families were marked with slight awkwardness. When the elder Mr. Ye discovered the existence of his great-granddaughter, he reprimanded Alex f
Alex was not an arrogant man, and his decision to marry Michelle was one made after considerable thought. That night, when he acted improperly towards Michelle under the influence of alcohol, he recognized that he behaved reprehensibly and owed her responsibility. To fulfill his duties as a man, Alex faced numerous challenges, especially from his grandfather and his father, Sebastian. Alex had never been in love. In his school days, he was engrossed in various mathematical Olympiads and challenging problems. When he went to college, he began to manage the family business and love was the last thing on his mind. Could love ever be more intriguing than work? He often wondered. Now, at the age of 29, Alex was constantly prodded about marriage. If it weren't for Lizzy's presence, he would already be engaged to Isabella from the Zhao family, and their wedding wouldn't be far off. Even though his engagement with Isabella had been called off, he knew that in a couple of years, an alliance
Lifting her eyes to meet his, Michelle's voice held an unwavering calm, "Let's discuss. I could consider not moving out of the Ye residence, but I won't take care of the child." Alex pondered, assessing the situation. If Michelle wouldn't be taking care of Lizzy, was there any point in having her move back to the Ye residence? Meeting his gaze, Michelle retorted, "If I don’t look after Lizzy, do you really have any reason to keep me at the Ye’s house?" She paused, and then with deliberate emphasis said, "No. Reason. At. All." Distancing herself from past affiliations with Alex and Lizzy, she no longer addressed him with formal respect, opting instead for the more direct 'you'. Alex caught this subtle shift, realizing that Michelle genuinely had no interest in marrying him or returning to the Ye residence. He desired a marriage with Michelle. But did she want the same? Upon hearing her resolute stance, he responded, "There is every reason." Now, Michelle was at a loss for words. Sh
In shock, Michelle exclaimed, "Alex, are you even human? How can you bully a child?!" Alex found himself at the receiving end of Michelle's vehement outburst, but he dared not make a sound. After all, he was indeed the reason Lizzy was crying. Upon seeing Michelle, Lizzy's tears ceased almost instantly. Yet, she couldn't hold back her sobbing hiccups, coming in rhythmic waves, evoking both laughter and sympathy from anyone watching. Echoing Michelle's words without any hesitation, a visibly distressed Lizzy told her, "Yes, Daddy bullied me!" After saying this, the mistreated child extended her tiny arms towards Michelle, seeking comfort in an embrace. With her large eyes, she blinked pitifully, resembling a wounded young animal: vulnerable, helpless, and desperately seeking solace in her sister's arms. Michelle couldn't resist such a plea. With a soft sigh, she reached out and pulled Lizzy into her arms. Lizzy gently rested her head in the crook of Michelle's neck, wrapping her sma
Some time ago, Michelle pondered a fascinating question. If she were to find herself within the world of a book, would the plot still unfold according to its original outline? And if it did, would it adhere to the author's initial summary or to the detailed narrative she, as the writer of this new version, had envisioned? While the general direction of both storylines might remain consistent, numerous finer details could diverge. For instance, the original blueprint never made mention of Lizzy's biological mother. Nor did it hint at the female protagonist seeking vengeance on a side character after breaking off her engagement with the secondary male lead. Michelle wasn't sure if the original author had envisioned such a subplot, but she was certain she wouldn't have included it. Such actions didn't align with the female protagonist's character as she perceived it. In her interpretation, Isabella, though smitten in love, was, after all, from a prestigious background. As an heiress of
Unwilling to be exploited by Alex, Michelle countered, "If I take the job, I won't be able to pick up Lizzy from school." The kindergarten at Rivenhold School let out around four in the afternoon. If Alex, the boss, couldn't manage to fetch Lizzy every day, how could an his employee? It made sense to Alex. He realized that compared to Michelle not being able to collect Lizzy, having Isabella spin tales in front of Michelle was a minor concern. If he didn't have to fetch Lizzy in the afternoons, he could focus more on his work. Given that his image in Michelle's eyes wasn't exactly shining, Alex eventually resigned to her perspective. "Alright, fair point," he conceded. The topic was set aside, neither of them brought it up again. But as the adults ceased discussing the matter, a wave of anxiety swept over Lizzy. She remembered the times when Michelle had left her alone at home to work. The idea of being alone was unsettling to the young girl, and she clearly wasn't in favor of Miche