"Alright, alright, whatever you say." Niamh dismissed Bambi completely, not taking her seriously.The competition at this prestigious kindergarten was fierce, with many children producing better crafts and delivering more polished speeches than Bambi.Niamh had just looked over the other Outstanding Works crafts and believed Bambi's chances of taking first place were slim.Bambi walked onto the stage carrying her craft project. She wore her school uniform: a white long-sleeve blouse paired with a red plaid skirt. Her hair was styled into two round buns, giving her an endearing look.Her sweet and lively features caught the audience's eye. Her long lashes framed her dark, bright eyes beautifully.But whispers started among the parents as soon as Bambi stepped onto the stage."Doesn't the Fisher girl look a little chubby?" one murmured.Another parent snickered, "A little chubby? That's putting it lightly."The two shared a knowing laugh. In this elite school, the wealthy mothers
The children's speeches concluded, and Bambi unsurprisingly took first place for flawlessly reciting her presentation from memory.The principal of the kindergarten personally awarded Bambi a star. Meanwhile, Beau stood in the audience, watching as the children on stage received their accolades.For the first time in his life, he left an event empty-handed—not only without a prize but also as the subject of ridicule.Tears welled in Beau's eyes as he searched for Elara in the crowd."My darling!" Ethel approached and scooped Beau into her arms."Grandma!" Beau sobbed aloud.Ethel soothed him in a soft voice, "Don't cry, my darling. You'll always be number one to Grandma!"Beau replied while sniffling, "But Bambi got a star... Grandma, please tell Mommy to come back so she can do my homework! If not, I'll leave with Mommy too!"He knew well how much his grandmother doted on him, and his threat was sure to be effective.Ethel's tone immediately turned stern. "If you leave, you'l
"Grandma! Bambi hit me again!" Beau yelled.He started sobbing, while Bambi stood with her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides.Born with incredible strength, Bambi had unintentionally hurt Beau a few times when they were younger as she was unable to control her power. Since then, Ethel had always been on high alert around Bambi, constantly watching over her.Beau knew he could count on his grandmother to take his side, and played his part well. Ethel stormed forward with a sour expression, reaching out to rip the star off Bambi's chest."Bambi Fisher, hitting someone at school means you're unworthy of a star! I'll ensure the teachers revoke your eligibility for awards for the entire school year!"Beau, who was still clinging to Ethel's legs, pretended to cry as he buried his face in his hands. He was sneaking a glance at Bambi through his fingers.Meanwhile, Bambi stood rooted to the spot, and her vision grew blurry.Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't want to cry,
The parents in the auditorium were glued to their phones, buzzing about the online uproar."The school is trending!""Madam Foster's identity has already been exposed!""The public really doesn't miss a thing. They didn't know Mr. Fisher got a divorce, but they could immediately tell Niamh is the mistress.""I can't stand Niamh Jones either. She's always draping herself over my husband.""Just two nights ago, when I went to pick up my drunk husband, she was sitting on Mr. Pitt's lap. Then, she casually tossed her bra onto Mr. Cox's face. My husband swears they were just messing around."As the parents gossiped animatedly, Ethel turned on the director, Peter Manford, and snapped, "Shut down the livestream now! If the Fisher family's reputation is tarnished, I'll sue you!"Peter wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Madam Foster, I've already cut the feed."The events that had unfolded earlier left Peter scrambling. By the time he regained his composure and stopped the broadcast, th
Ethel laughed at Bambi's naivety. "You might not even be able to afford tuition anymore if you follow your mother!"She believed her granddaughter had no idea what awaited her in the future, and Ethel's glare at Elara carried nothing but venom."I want to see how a mere college graduate like you plans to raise Bambi! Bambi doesn't realize her life has already hit rock bottom. The gap between her and Beau is now an unbridgeable chasm."No matter how hard you try, Bambi will never reach the level Beau is destined for!"Elara's voice remained calm. "Both my children came from the same womb. If Beau has something, Bambi should too."Since the Fisher family can't treat them equally, I will take Bambi and help her grow into who she wants to be."Elara turned to leave with Bambi when a group of people carrying briefcases walked into the auditorium. The middle-aged man leading the group wore a modest white shirt and black trousers.Elara's eyes narrowed. How coincidental—it was a famili
Desmond said to James, "I just got off the plane and rushed here from the airport to handle this. If she doesn't step down, Summit Academy won't just lose new enrollments—you'll lose your current students too!"James glanced at Ethel in a panic.Ethel signaled to him with her eyes. "James, don't forget that Fisher Corp is Summit Academy's biggest sponsor..."James appeared torn. On one hand, he couldn't afford to lose Fisher Corp's financial backing. On the other hand, he couldn't risk offending the Department of Education."Enough, Mom!"Harvey's voice was sharp, freezing the air around him. "Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough already?"He turned to Desmond and declared, "I'll take over my mother's position on the board."The man's presence was commanding, leaving no room for objection.Desmond's gaze shifted between Harvey and Elara before he chuckled. "I trust that you will be far more capable than your mother, Mr. Fisher."Then, Elara spoke softly to Bambi, "Let's go.
Elara opened the gift box, revealing a sapphire bracelet inside. Her gaze sharpened as she picked it up."What's the size of this bracelet?" she asked."5.6 inches," Harvey replied instinctively.Elara let out a dry laugh, and a bitter taste was rising in her throat. "That's Niamh's wrist size."She extended her hand out the window, letting the sparkling sapphire bracelet slip from her palm.Harvey's brow furrowed as emotions rippled through his usually cold eyes. "You're just jealous of Niamh. That's why you're throwing this tantrum."I've known Niamh for over 20 years. If there were something between us, do you think you'd even be here?"His words seemed to stir something deep within Elara—a memory buried in the past. Her broken smile reflected back at her in the rearview mirror."Do you remember about the night you left to find Niamh three years ago? You made me go to the hospital alone."I had a fever of 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit that night. Taylor was on leave, and the sta
"Ack!" Niamh let out a sharp cry behind Harvey.Harvey turned to see her sprawled on the ground with her hair disheveled, and her wide, imploring eyes were fixed on him."Harvey…"An indelible image overlapped with the scene before him in his mind—his sister, Dawn Fisher, who was forever frozen at 18, was calling out to him again and again amidst the flames.He walked over and helped Niamh to her feet.Seated in Harvey's car, Niamh struggled to suppress the triumphant smile threatening to bloom on her face."What do you plan to do with this bracelet?" she asked while holding it out in her palm."Throw it away," he replied curtly in a cold tone."Sure thing!" Niamh responded nonchalantly while miming a toss toward the window.With a deft twist of her wrist, she slipped the bracelet into her pocket instead in a seamless movement.…In the Fisher residence's study, the strikingly handsome man sat behind the desk as his eyes scanned the pages of Elara's medical records.His gaz
If one word could describe Theodore, it would be "insatiable!"The spasms emanating from Elara's abdomen made her aware of the unusual sensations in her body. In the warm early summer afternoon, even the air in the office seemed to grow heavy and humid.She felt as if an electric current had struck her, sending a tingling sensation up from the base of her spine. Her lips parted slightly, and she couldn't help but feel an intense curiosity about Theodore."Why would someone like you be interested in someone like me?" Elara's voice fell from above him."Hmm? Someone like me? What kind of person am I?"Theodore looked up at her with an expression that seemed completely vulnerable, as if offering himself to be commanded by her.Seated in her office chair, Elara lowered her gaze. As she looked down at this man, a strange and subtle thrill arose in her chest.She finally understood what it meant to gaze down from a position of power. It felt as though butterflies were dancing wildly i
Harvey was annoyed by Ethel's interference in his love life. Elara's decision to divorce him undoubtedly had something to do with Ethel's meddling."I recall that Uncle Leonard has been looking after the Shelton family. Didn't the Sheltons' daughter go abroad to study with Uncle Leonard's letter of recommendation?" Harvey asked."That's ancient history," Ethel replied. "I hear she has done quite well for herself in Melcina. She's returned and taken a position at Quantum Tech under Price Nation."Harvey was about to leave, but he stopped in his tracks when he heard a certain phrase from Ethel."What position does Ms. Shelton hold at Quantum Tech?"Ethel was delighted—Harvey was showing interest in Angie.She described enthusiastically, "I heard she's highly regarded by Priscilla. Since she's joined Quantum Tech, she must be in a top position.""Isn't Elara the one in charge?" Harvey thought. He quickly realized this meant Elara's position at Quantum Tech wasn't secure.Harvey re
Perhaps it was because he had spent recent days shoveling manure for fertilizer, cleaning pigpens, and herding cattle and sheep, but Harvey's germaphobia seemed to have been cured.He crouched down and began searching through the pile of garbage.Seeing Beau standing idly nearby, he sternly commanded, "What are you standing around for? Help me look! If we don't find the stethoscope, you won't be eating dinner!"Beau finally understood the gravity of the situation. With fear and trepidation in his heart, he looked at the garbage scattered on the ground with a miserable expression."Daddy, can I at least have a pair of gloves?""Look!" Harvey roared. "If we don't find it, I'll throw you in the trash can!"For the first time, he had completely lost patience with his son. Flames seemed to shoot from his eyes, and the features of his face were tense and sharp.Beau trembled, held his breath, and crouched down. With a disgusted expression, he began searching through the garbage while
Harvey froze in shock. He pulled back the covers, finding nothing on the bed. He spun around and darted out of his room, leaving a sharp, cold breeze in his wake.Outside his room stood a bodyguard assigned by Leonard. Harvey then grabbed the bodyguard by the collar."Where's my stethoscope? Who told you to touch my stethoscope?" he demanded.The bodyguard was bewildered. He gripped Harvey's hand in displeasure. "Mr. Fisher, please calm down. I don't know what you're talking about."Hostility flashed in Harvey's eyes as he breathed heavily and questioned, "My stethoscope that I put under my pillow—who took it?"The bodyguard thought for a moment. "I did see Mr. Beau playing with a stethoscope this morning. I'm not sure where he got it from."Harvey's pupils constricted sharply. Beau had entered his room and taken his stethoscope?That little brat!Beau, dressed in a gray monk's robe, was surrounded by visitors who had come to the chapel to pray. These past few days, he had been
This time, Harvey very clearly saw Elara's face deepen from a light pink to a rich, blooming rose—visibly, and in real time.Her beauty blossomed like a peony in full bloom. Her long lashes trembled several times, and her dark eyes shimmered as if brimming with tears.She looked as if… She was lovestruck. The moment that phrase crossed Harvey's mind, he was so stunned that his eyes widened in disbelief.Was Elara suddenly getting shy because of him?A strange flutter rippled through his chest. He sat at his desk, staring at the high-definition monitor in front of him, where every detail of Elara's face—even each individual eyelash—was crystal clear.He shifted his gaze to the upper-left corner of the screen to glance at the small preview of himself.After Leonard had driven him up to the mountains, the priest at Atkina Church had given him a haircut. Since he was neither a monk nor formally ordained, it was just a close-cropped cut, not a full shaving of the head.He looked at h
Theodore's eyes gleamed like sunlight shimmering over a lake. He looked like a large dog trapped in a cage, gazing at Elara with unwavering intensity. If he had a tail, it would have been wagging wildly like a windmill spinning at full speed.Elara screamed internally. This had gone a little too far! Her eyes then dropped to the tip of her own shoe. The place she had kicked… had grown!"Oh!" She quickly jerked her foot back, only to feel her body tip backward uncontrollably.Just as she was about to fall, Theodore reached out and grabbed her ankle.The moment his fingers touched her skin, her heart skipped a beat. Theodore pulled her back toward the desk.Elara froze in place like a statue. Her entire body was tense, her eyes were wide, and her pupils were unfocused."Elara, what's wrong?"Harvey had seen her suddenly lose her balance and fall backward. It startled him so badly, he looked as if he wanted to jump through the screen.A wave of helplessness washed over him. Luckil
Elara looked under the desk. What on earth was going on?Meanwhile, Harvey observed Elara in her formal women's suit on the computer screen—an attire he'd never seen her wear before.Her hair was pulled back into a bun secured by a simple ebony hairpin. A few strands, gilded by sunlight, curled against her porcelain cheeks.Though she appeared to be looking down at something, Harvey's gaze and thoughts remained completely captivated by her face. Only months had passed since their divorce, yet seeing her now felt like encountering someone from another lifetime.Had time stretched endlessly during his days at Atkina Church?"El—" Harvey's throat tightened as if stuffed with paper.But he quickly regained his usual composed tone. "Elara—no, I should address you as Ms. Jones now. Had Sam not called me, I wouldn't have known you'd assumed Quantum Tech's CEO position."His voice carried that innate condescension of the privileged, laced with unmistakable mockery."Why are you hiding
Elara stood still as she gazed at the tall, distinguished man before her. Meanwhile, Theodore looked up and smiled at her against the light."Why are you so far away?"Elara stepped toward him, teasing lightly, "I wanted a good look at you.""Then you'll need to come closer." Theodore leaned forward, closing the distance between them.Though she stopped a step away, their faces nearly touched. Elara instinctively held her breath as her eyes locked on him."Can you see clearly now?" Theodore asked."Mm," Elara replied."And?""So handsome." Elara praised him sincerely. "You're one of the most attractive men I've ever seen!"She truly meant it. Theodore chuckled through his nose. She'd seen plenty of handsome men in her life—Finnegan, Harvey, and Leonard. Especially Leonard, whose looks even made Theodore feel somewhat threatened."My face is the least remarkable part of me." He declared confidently.Images of those shirtless photos Theodore had sent flashed through Elara's mi
Harold smiled as he explained, "Of course, they're talking about the most prominent figure in all of Capitol."Although Angie had lived in Melcina for years, she still kept up with the major gossip surrounding Capitol's elite families.And when it came to the most famous heir of the Snapp family, none other than Theodore came to mind. His reputation was practically legendary—everything he touched turned to gold. It was as if, with just a flick of his fingers, he could rise to the top of any industry."Does he have any business dealings with Quantum Tech?" she asked.Harold replied, "Ms. Price is interested in having Mr. Snapp's firm, Polaris Law Firm, take over Quantum Tech's legal affairs."The moment Harold said this, Angie understood that Priscilla clearly had an ulterior motive. She must be looking to shift her business focus back to Eucon, and using Quantum Tech to pull Theodore into her orbit was the first step."So, that means Mr. Snapp's visit is to discuss a legal partne