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
It was Monica.But she looked nothing like the woman Charlotte remembered.Every time Charlotte saw her in the past, Monica was impeccably dressed—whether in luxury designer suits or custom gowns, her jewelry always perfectly matched, her hair styled to perfection. She carried herself with the poise
But Scott had come.As a partner at the firm and one of the bosses, he didn’t need to follow a fixed work schedule.This time, he came alone, without Tiana.In his hands was a beautiful bouquet of pale blue flowers, artfully arranged with a mix of rare blooms.“To celebrate your discharge from the h
Charlotte paused, clearly not expecting that question.She gave a quiet “Yeah.”Sean’s lips curled into something like a smile, but his voice had a sharp edge. “He even knows you like blue. Impressive.”Charlotte’s gaze flicked toward the bouquet of pale blue flowers resting on the passenger seat. H
While they were having dinner, Petra waited in the car, unaware of what was going on inside.She was a little curious, of course, but chose not to ask. After all, it was her boss’s personal business—not something she should pry into.In the elevator, Charlotte turned to her sister. “Jodie, don’t tel







