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
Sean smoothly sidestepped Megan’s hand, keeping his distance.His voice was cold. “Since Miss Riley and Mr. Lucas aren’t on a date, I assume you won’t mind if I join you. We’re all familiar faces, after all. And it’s been a while since I last saw Miss Riley—this seems like a good chance to catch up
Mark fell silent.Monica had once lived like a queen—designer bags, diamond jewelry, limited-edition everything. Whatever she wanted, he gave her without question.But now that the company had gone bankrupt, she wanted to jump ship. Divorce him, leave the family behind, and chase a new life with som
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
Scott had chosen a warm, atmospheric restaurant.Inside, the décor leaned into soft earth tones. Gentle light filtered through ornate chandeliers, casting a dreamy glow across the space. A few colorful, vintage-style oil paintings hung on the walls, adding a playful artistic flair to the otherwise t







