LOGINIan raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t drunk last night. I was completely sober.“Sweetheart, I knew exactly what I was doing. I have been aware of my feelings for you for a long time. I just kept holding them back. But last night, when you hired those male escorts and leaned into that man’s arms, I could
Mia’s expression hardened. “Ian, what kind of thing is that to say? Who I date is none of your business.”“Fine.” Ian gave a short, cold laugh. “None of my business.”His face remained dark as he walked out. From that day on, he never returned to the Quinton estate.Mia did not see him for more than
Mia’s relationship with Ian had changed completely. Somewhere along the way, she had become the one doing the bullying.If she was upset, she would pinch or swat him without hesitation, and Ian would only grin and call her “Little Princess” or “Miss Trouble,” never once fighting back.Later, Mia was
By the time Ian was eighteen and in his senior year, his life was too busy with schoolwork to waste time picking on his stepsister. It had been a long time since he had teased Mia.The high school and middle school buildings were close to each other. That afternoon, he and a few classmates walked to
Lester was often away from home.In the beginning, whenever Mia was bullied by Ian, she would run to her mother, Sharon, in tears. But as a stepmother, Sharon felt she had no authority to discipline Ian. For the sake of keeping the household peaceful, she chose to turn a blind eye and never told Le
The first time Mia met Ian, she was only nine years old.Her mother, Sharon, held her hand and smiled brightly. “Say hello to your new brother.”The little girl tilted her head up at the tall boy in front of her, pressed her lips together, and obediently said, “Hi, brother.”The boy didn’t look the
Desmond gave a slight nod. “When you have time, I’ll take you to meet a few contacts—friends of mine. It could help you build up a client base.”Charlotte understood he was trying to offer her resources and connections. She didn’t turn him down. “Alright. How about next weekend?”Just then, little
Sean’s lips, still pale as paper, curved into a faint smile. “Alright. I promise.”Not long after James and Lillian stepped out of the ICU, James’s phone rang. The voice on the other end was sharp with urgency.“Mr. Jasper—bad news. Something’s happened!”At the detention center, Judy claimed she wa
Zac’s words echoed in Charlotte’s mind like a curse, refusing to let her rest. They kept swirling in her head, leaving her distracted and uneasy.So much so that when she visited Sean at the hospital the next day, she looked completely lost in thought.“Lottie, what’s on your mind?” Sean asked.Her
“Sean…” Charlotte called him softly.Sean’s lips brushed against her cheek as he murmured, “I’m right here.”She bit her lip and looked up at him. “When you got into that fight with Eric, and then again the other day with Zac—what if your family finds out you lost control and nearly hurt someone bec







