“One Sean is already more than enough. If Felix keeps going down the same path, I don’t think Xena can take it,” Shane muttered. “Oh, and one of my buddies told me Mr. Perry Sr. just made Felix work under Sean as his assistant.“With that temper of his, I bet that stings more than getting kicked out of the company. That’s probably why he didn’t tell Xena anything. He’s too embarrassed.”He kept rambling on, completely missing the way Mrs. Xander’s expression darkened.“Enough already,” she said, kicking Shane lightly under the table before glancing toward the stairs with a smile. “Xena, sweetheart—you’re up?”Shane froze. He snapped upright and followed Mrs. Xander’s gaze, his voice awkward, “Xena, uh… how long have you been there?”“Since the part where you were talking about Felix’s flings.”Xena stepped slowly down the stairs. “I’ve known for a while he wasn’t faithful. He’s been dodging my questions for so long. I’d already given up on expecting any kind of explanation.“You
While Felix was abroad, he had partied and messed around but he always knew where his path was. Whenever he was by Wilfred’s side, he focused all his energy on the company and had actually helped a great deal.That was why Wilfred believed that, despite his reckless ways, Felix was still worth shaping. If he could just settle down, managing the entire Perry empire would be well within his abilities.As a father, Wilfred knew it was his job to keep a tight grip on the reins and steer this wild horse of a son back onto the right path before it was too late. And right now? It was time to pull hard.“Your grandfather’s health is failing,” Wilfred said, “and no one knows how much longer he has. This is the most important time for you to show him who you are. You can’t afford to give up now.“If he doesn’t leave a will, the company might need to hold an internal vote to choose the next heir. Are you confident you can beat Sean?“Felix, the only way forward is winning your grandf
“The older you get, the more you find yourself chewing on old regrets. Over and over—like gum. And eventually, there’s just nothing sweet left.“But really, what’s the use? What’s done is done.”Mr. Perry Sr. looked up at the sky. A quiet calm settled in his eyes.“What I should’ve wished for… was for you to have a better life. Truth is, the Perry family never deserved you.”Layla remained silent.There was really no point in continuing this conversation. She and Sean had ended a long time ago. In these past three years, she had gradually forgotten the little details about them—so much so that she could no longer remember what made her fall for him in the first place.Now, Sean meant less to her than a stranger.Suddenly, a voice rang out behind them.“Grandpa!”A blur of motion darted across the garden. Felix dropped to his knees with a loud thump in front of Mr. Perry Sr., gift boxes spilling at Mr. Perry Sr.’s feet.A group of bodyguards moved quickly, closing in. Layla
After their last interview, Layla instantly recognized that voice. Her brows knit together ever so slightly. “What’s Gwen doing here?” she wondered.Sure enough, Gwen strolled up beside her, arms folded, eyes glinting with mock curiosity as she gave Felix a slow once-over.“You must be Felix Perry, right? Hi, I’m Gwen Harris. These days, I work as a reporter.“I actually caught wind of something about you recently—a little scandal involving a woman showing up at your family’s estate? Juicy stuff. Care to give me a quote or two? I’d love to share it with my team.”“Shut it!” Felix shot to his feet, voice sharp.He was clearly rattled, but still trying to hold it together. He knew exactly who Gwen was—and more importantly, who had her back.“Miss Harris,” he said through clenched teeth, “I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of this.”“How is this not my business?” Gwen replied sweetly. “I’m just doing my job. Gathering material.”She whipped out her phone and aimed the camera st
“William may seem cold on the outside,” Gwen said lightly, “but deep down, he’s a good person. The few of us who grew up with him. Well, we’ve all benefited from his kindness at some point. He really does take care of the people around him.”She turned to Layla with a warm smile, eyes calm and sincere. “You’ve known William for quite a while now too, right? I’m sure you’ve seen that side of him.”It sounded perfectly reasonable. Friendly, even. There was no flaw to be found in her words.But Layla picked up on the deeper implication.Gwen clearly knew that moving Mr. Perry Sr. into a nursing home had been William and Layla’s decision. By bringing up William’s long-standing friendship with Mr. Perry Sr., she was subtly framing the move as nothing more than William repaying an old debt.And then, when she added that William was simply kind to all his friends, it was a quiet reminder that she was not special.That was when it hit Layla that Gwen saw her as competition.But since no
“You’re just going to stand there? Felix is about to leave!”Mrs. Xander rushed over and grabbed Xena’s arm, but Xena shook her off.For once, Xena’s tone was icy cold. “Let him leave. Why should I be the one begging him to stay?“It was Layla who pissed him off. Why should I be cleaning up her mess? Why don’t you go find her and make her apologize to him?”Mrs. Xander froze. “Xena, what are you—”“She’s not wrong,” Shane cut in, stepping forward to help Xena up. “Layla caused this, and now we’re the ones dealing with the fallout? If Felix wants someone to blame, he should take it up with her.”“But…” Mrs. Xander hesitated. “Do you really think she’ll agree to see us? Let alone listen?”“You didn’t hear Felix just now?” Shane raised an eyebrow. “He doesn’t want an apology. He wants her punished.”“So what?” Mrs. Xander frowned. “You’re going to go after her yourself?”“Who else would?” Shane shrugged. “I’m the only one in this family who can play the bad guy.“I heard Layla’s
Did his little game of playing hard to get just backfire on him?*After that night, Layla never saw William again.She didn’t want to waste time overthinking all these confusing emotions, so she forced herself to stay busy. Leaving early and coming home late gave her no room to dwell on it.Before she knew it, the grand opening of her studio was just three days away.She picked up a call from Jenny, and her face immediately lit up. “Miss Jasper, you’re really coming to cut the ribbon yourself?”“Of course I am!” Jenny’s voice rang out, bright and hearty over the phone. “My star student is launching her own studio. There’s no way I’d miss it. I don’t care how busy I am, I’ll be there to support you in person.“I heard all about that solo exhibition you did after coming back. You were making headlines left and right!“Layla, I’m honestly so proud of you and a little selfishly happy too. It feels like fate that I got to be your teacher. I must’ve done something right to deserve a
The morning of the studio launch, reporters from all major media outlets arrived bright and early.A light reception had been set up in the courtyard, and journalists gathered around, casually chatting over tea and snacks.“Think Gwen Harris will show up today?”“Probably… Didn’t she just interview Miss Xander a while back? The launch of ‘Layla Studio’ is big news. She wouldn’t want to miss it.”“Don’t let her heiress status fool you—she works hard. How else do you think she snagged that international journalism award? If you ask me, she’s not the type to let personal drama get in the way of her career.”“But aren’t you guys just a little curious about their love triangle? Who do you think Mr. Lucas really has feelings for?”They exchanged looks, each one with a knowing grin.Sure, Begonia launching her own studio was newsworthy. But if they could dig up some juicy gossip about the wealthy elite while they were at it, that would be a bonus.No one said it out loud, but they wer
During the celebration dinner, Layla received a call from Jenny.Since it was too noisy inside, Layla grabbed her phone and stepped out into the hallway, finding a quieter corner before answering. “Miss Jasper.”“Did you forget you even have a mentor?” Jenny half-scolded. “Something this big happens, and you didn’t even think to tell me? I had to find out online!“If I don't mean anything to you anymore, then stop thinking of me as your mentor,” she huffed.“Don’t say that,” Layla said quickly, her voice warm and coaxing. “I just didn’t want you to worry. And honestly, it’s a complicated situation. I didn’t want you getting dragged into it.“Besides, it’s not that serious. I’ve been handling it fine. If I ever hit a wall, you’d be the first person I’d call.“You’re not just my mentor. You’re my safety net. You’re my strength.”“Alright, enough,” Jenny said, laughing despite herself. “That silver tongue of yours—how am I supposed to stay mad at you?”She had stormed into the con
Fabian muttered under his breath, “Weren't you crushing on Mr. Lucas before?”“Nope! I’m all about Miss Xander now!” Diana declared, purposely raising her voice so Layla could hear her loud and clear. “Smart, capable women are the real deal! Who wouldn’t be smitten?”Layla chuckled. “I’ll gladly accept your admiration.”“Aaah! She accepted it! Did you hear that? I knew it! Women really are the best!” Diana squealed in excitement, practically bouncing in place. Fabian could only shake his head and gently push her away, then hurried to wrap up the call with Layla.*As the promotional video’s popularity exploded, the calls started pouring in that very afternoon.Most of them came from the mentors, artists, and family friends that Jenny had once introduced to her. They had only just found out about the troubles Layla’s studio had been facing, after seeing the video hit the trending charts.Normally, those artists lived in their own world, blissfully detached from outside news.
Scarlett was curled up on the sofa, scrolling through her phone. She had just finished watching the entire promotional video when she muttered, “Looks like a great place to walk around.”“Not bad,” William replied without even looking up.Scarlett shot him a look and said, a little sharply, “Your dad ended up in the hospital because you ran off with Layla to the south.“I’m not saying you can’t go travel and clear your head, but you can’t be following a woman around like that. It doesn't sound good if people start talking, you know?”William furrowed his brows and was about to respond when Scarlett added, “How about this? Next time you want to follow her somewhere, bring me along. If people see a mother and son traveling together, it’ll look a whole lot better than making it seem like you're chasing after her.”Feeling quite pleased with her own cleverness, Scarlett nodded in satisfaction. “I usually only travel abroad, but clearly, there are plenty of beautiful places right here
“Who exactly was hiding something?” Kiera only muttered the words in her heart. On the surface, she kept her tone casual and said, “I was watching a promotional video Miss Xander produced. I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea if you saw it.“If you don’t believe me, take a look for yourself.”As she spoke, Kiera handed her phone to Sean, her expression calm and composed.Sean frowned slightly. “Layla Xander? Isn’t her studio the one Mr. Lucas Sr. basically shut down?”“You seem pretty up to date on her situation,” Kiera said with a half-smile. “Here I thought you didn’t know anything.”“I just... heard about it. Everyone in the circle has,” Sean said, clearly uncomfortable, avoiding her gaze. “She crossed the Lucas family. Of course she was going to end up like this. When she first came back, everyone was talking about her, but in the end, all it took was one word from Mr. Lucas Sr. and her studio couldn’t land a single project.”“Is that so?” Kiera tightened her grip on
Kiera had always played the part of the gentle, obedient wife.But right now, the cold sarcasm in her eyes made Sean feel like he was looking at a stranger.Sean sobered up a little in an instant. “What the hell are you talking about?” he snapped. “All I did was ask you to play the harp. Do you really have to twist it into something so ugly?”He huffed and continued, “Mr. Zimmer has sent us quite a few projects over the years. I know he’s into classical music, so I thought bringing you tonight might give you two something to talk about.“How was I supposed to know that asking you to play one song would feel like pulling teeth? You refused to drink, which was fine, but then you just sat there with that sour face. Who would even dare start a conversation with you like that? Anyone watching would have thought I treat you like garbage at home.”Grumbling, Sean let go of her arm and leaned back against the car door, putting distance between them.To his surprise, Kiera didn’t move clo
“I’ve heard Mrs. Perry plays the harp,” someone across the round table suddenly said. It was Mr. Zimmer, one of the business partners. “There happens to be one here tonight. Mrs. Perry, would you mind playing a piece for us?”“This…” Kiera hesitated, but before she could reply, Sean jumped in with a smile, “Of course not. My wife plays beautifully. Tonight’s the perfect chance for everyone to enjoy it.”Hearing that, Kiera’s heart sank.It was rare for Sean to ask her to attend a business dinner. In all their time married, this was the first time he had willingly brought her into one of his work events.If she didn’t already know better, she might have been flattered, maybe even excited to join him.But she knew too much. She could see right through him. When something felt this out of the ordinary, there was always a hidden reason. Still, she smiled and nodded. “Sure, I’d be happy to.”A few minutes later, the restaurant staff wheeled in a harp and set it up in the private di
From the moment Mr. Xander stepped through the door, his face was clouded with anger. He didn’t even bother putting on a friendly face for Felix like he normally would.It wasn’t until Felix left after dinner that Xena finally approached her father. “Dad, did you go see my sister today?”“She’s no sister of yours! There’s no place in this family for someone as heartless as her!”Furious, Mr. Xander slammed his hand against the table, the loud thud making Xena flinch.Mrs. Xander rushed over to shield her daughter. “Easy, don’t scare her. She’s pregnant, remember?”“I’m fine, Mom.” Xena lowered her gaze, looking guilty. “Dad only lost his temper because of me. Maybe we should just drop it. I’ll talk to Felix myself. I’ll keep the baby, and we’ll figure the rest out later.”“What are you saying? You can’t have that baby now!”Mrs. Xander immediately objected. “Even if you two get married afterward, people will still talk! If the baby comes before the wedding, everyone will trea
“If you don’t like it here,” William said coolly, “the elevator’s just to the right.”Scarlett was fuming. Just a few words in and she was already being shown the door? Was she not even allowed to speak?And she hadn’t even said anything bad about Layla. She was just feeling protective of her precious son. Was that so wrong?For the rest of the time, Scarlett sat stiffly on the couch, clutching her glass of water and sipping from it every now and then. William sat across from her on another sofa, silently scrolling through his phone.Neither of them spoke. The only sound in the apartment came from the kitchen, where the soft clatter of cooking echoed faintly.Soon, the scent of food filled the air.Scarlett couldn’t help glancing toward the kitchen. Through the frosted glass, she could only make out the blur of Layla’s figure. Doubts crept into her mind. “Could Layla’s cooking actually be edible?” she wondered.After all, she was still a woman who had grown up with a silver sp
Layla braced herself as she welcomed William and Scarlett into her apartment. After a quick round of small talk, she headed into the kitchen with the groceries.She had just started unpacking when she heard William call from behind, “Need a hand with anything?”“No, I—”She was about to turn him down, but then thought of Mr. Xander and hesitated. Instead, she handed him a bag of snap peas. “Help me trim these.”“Sure.”William stepped up beside her without hesitation. As he got to work, she lowered her voice. “How’s Grandpa Perry doing?”“He’s fine,” William replied, eyeing her curiously. “Why are you suddenly asking about him?”“Gerald Xander came to see me today. He wants to meet with Grandpa Perry.”Layla said her father’s name without a trace of emotion, as if she were talking about a stranger.William glanced over at her. “Did he give you any trouble?”“Not really. He can barely walk straight, can’t argue, and definitely can’t catch up to me. What else is he going to do