LOGINPete finally stood up from the floor, straightening his body slowly before turning to face Petra. His breathing had steadied somewhat, though the uneasiness in his eyes remained obvious.He brushed his palms against his trousers as if trying to restore some dignity after the humiliation he had just endured.When he looked at Petra again, his expression had changed. The anger from earlier had faded, replaced with something that resembled forced sincerity."You're wrong, Petra," he said, attempting to sound calm and reasonable, though the slight tremor in his voice betrayed him.He took a small step forward, his eyes fixed on her as though hoping she might soften."Why would you think that?" he continued, raising his hands slightly in a helpless gesture. "If I'd known your family was rich, I would've treated you better."The statement came out naturally to him, as though it were the most logical explanation in the world."Besides, why'd you keep your wealth from me?" Pete added, his bro
Petra walked closer towards Pete who was still on the floor, struggling to make sense of the whole situation.Pete remained seated awkwardly where he had fallen earlier, his body still bent slightly forward from the pain in his stomach, but the turmoil raging inside his mind was far stronger than the physical ache he felt.His eyes moved uncertainly as he tried to follow Petra’s approaching figure, and the expression on his face revealed a man who could no longer separate truth from disbelief."Pete," she said, looking down boldly at him.Her voice was steady, carrying neither warmth nor pity, only a quiet firmness that made it impossible for Pete to ignore her presence.Petra’s gaze rested on him without hesitation, her posture straight and composed as though she had finally stepped out of a shadow that had once hidden her."My brother told you this during the naming party," she continued calmly. Her tone carried a faint trace of disappointment, not because Pete had failed to underst
"How's that possible?" Zoe said, shocked and confused, her voice rising uncontrollably as disbelief washed over her entire face. Her brows were drawn tightly together, and her eyes trembled. "Uncle Gary, you must be joking. She's just an uncivilized orphan!"She pointed fiercely at Petra, her trembling finger almost stabbing the air between them as anger and panic merged inside her voice. "All she has is a brother who leeches off her. How can she be in charge of anything or hold any power?"Her eyes bulged out at Gary as if daring him to repeat what he had just said, desperately hoping that he would laugh and admit that this was all some cruel misunderstanding.The room grew heavy with the weight of Zoe’s accusations, but Petra stood perfectly still where she was, her expression calm and composed.Her posture remained straight, and the faint smile on her lips suggested that none of the venom Zoe spat had the slightest effect on her.Instead of reacting, Petra simply watched the scene
"But the one to be charged is you." Oscar said calmly as he stopped right in front of Pete, his tall figure standing firmly beside Petra.His voice carried quiet authority, the kind that did not need to be raised to command attention.The composure on his face showed no trace of anger or excitement. Instead, he looked at Pete with a steady gaze, as though the outcome of this situation had already been decided long before this moment."Mr. Wesley." Petra greeted warmly the moment she saw him beside her.The tension that had surrounded her earlier softened slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her face as she acknowledged his arrival.Her voice held a subtle sense of relief, not because she needed saving, but because the presence beside her now meant the truth could no longer be twisted by Pete and Zoe."Relax," Oscar said gently as he turned his head toward her with a small smile. His tone was reassuring, calm and confident at the same time. "I'm here."The simple statement carried m
"Warning! Warning! System failure detected."The sharp mechanical voice burst out from the screen without any warning, echoing clearly across the hall.The calm flow of codes that had been moving smoothly across the large display suddenly froze for a split second before the message appeared in bold letters across the glowing surface.Pete and Zoe’s eyebrows furrowed at the same time as they stared at the screen in disbelief. Just seconds earlier, everything had looked perfectly stable, the system running exactly the way Pete had proudly claimed it would.The abrupt alarm shattered that confidence instantly.Petra, however, smiled.Her expression carried no surprise at all. Instead, the faint curve on her lips suggested quiet satisfaction, as though the outcome had unfolded exactly as she had predicted from the very beginning."The system has crashed. The system has crashed."The voice from the screen repeated the warning again, louder and more insistent this time. The steady stream of
"You—" Pete snapped with gritted teeth, the word escaping sharply from between his clenched jaw as his temper flared again.His brows knitted together in irritation as he stared hard at Petra, clearly struggling to contain the anger building inside him.For a moment it looked like he was about to unleash another heated argument, but the words seemed to catch in his throat before they could fully form.His hands slid deeper into his pockets, his posture stiff as he forced himself to regain control of the situation."Fine," he continued after a brief pause, his voice tight but steadier now. His lips curved into a forced smile that carried more defiance than amusement. "You're goading me. You think it'll work?"He tilted his head slightly as he looked directly at Petra, as though he had just seen through a trick he refused to fall for. "I'll share the Jordan System on the big screen so everyone can see whether it'll break down."The confidence in his voice grew stronger as he spoke, almo
The grand hall reserved for the baby's naming ceremony was already full by the time the evening truly settled in.Guests moved around in small groups, standing in pairs or threes, chatting and laughing while holding glasses of wine in their hands."My goodness," a lady wearing a bright red gown gas
The glass doors of Chapman Corporation headquarters reflected the bright morning light as Petra stepped out of the black car that had just pulled up in front of the building.The place stood tall and proud in the middle of the business district, its polished structure shining like a monument to pow
Three months ago, inside the quiet maternity ward of the hospital, Petra lay weakly on the hospital bed after hours of painful labor.Her body felt exhausted, but the soft bundle in her arms filled her with a warmth she had never known before.She held the baby carefully against her chest, her fing
Zoe’s lips curved into a satisfied smile, the kind that carried pride and a hint of arrogance.“Alright,” Zoe said casually, unfolding her arms as if she had finally made up her mind. She stretched her hands slightly and rolled her shoulders like someone preparing for something exciting. “I’m going







