"I'm looking forward to competing with you in the tournament, Miss!" said one of the students."If you end up ranking at the bottom, now that would be interesting." The student with black-rimmed glasses sneered."The ALI Math Competition allows participants from all backgrounds, so there are always plenty of blank submissions. Every year, the ranking board is littered with zeros."Plus, the competition publicly lists each participant's name and background. You'd better be mentally prepared!"Elara smiled, somewhat unbothered. "How about this—if I rank higher than you, you wear a T-shirt that says, 'I ranked lower than Elara Jones in the ALI Math Competition' for a full week. Sounds fair?"This was the ultimate insult for students used to the ivory tower of academia. He would have to walk around Capitol University with that shirt on display.The student with black-rimmed glasses was provoked by Elara, and he rose to the challenge. "Fine! But let me tell you, I won't even demand yo
Finnegan saw Theodore carrying Bambi and immediately pushed open the car door to step out.Finnegan was broad-shouldered and muscular at nearly 6'2". His short-sleeved black T-shirt was stretched taut over his well-defined physique."Give her to me," he said while extending a strong, sinewy arm toward Theodore.Theodore had no choice but to hand Bambi over.Finnegan took her with one arm effortlessly, then turned to Elara. "Let's go."After bidding farewell to Theodore, Elara got into Finnegan's car.Finnegan carefully placed Bambi in the back seat and shut the door. As he walked toward the driver's side, he even swept a cold gaze over Theodore.Theodore ignored Finnegan entirely as his softened expression was focused solely on Elara."Drive safe," he said. The curve of his lips formed a polite yet distant smile.Theodore then watched the off-road vehicle disappear into the distance.As Finnegan drove, he glanced at Elara through the rearview mirror. "Who was that just now?"
Elara raised her arm, intending to remind Bambi not to use too much strength, but Bambi had already swung her punch before she could say anything.Beryl was sent flying backward, losing his balance and crashing to the ground. His mind went completely blank."Mr. Caddel, are you okay?" Bambi quickly ran to his side.Beryl felt like a massive force had yanked him up, and he clutched his chest and coughed uncontrollably.Bambi quickly but gently patted his back."Urk!" His undigested breakfast surged up from his throat and spilled onto the floor."Ugh." Finnegan let out a cold sneer, his expression laced with disdain.Elara rushed to grab a mop and started cleaning the floor. Not far away, someone held up a phone and discreetly filmed Elara. He immediately sent the video to Niamh."Isn't this your dearest sister?"Niamh stared at the video on her phone for a long moment before bursting into laughter.She turned and walked into a private lounge, pushing the door open so hard it s
"Tsk." Harvey set his phone down with a look of irritation. It seemed Elara was still playing games with him."Oh, come on! Don't let Elara get to you!" Niamh threw an arm around Harvey's neck and playfully patted his chest twice.He made no effort to push her away. Niamh then followed him back into the private lounge while clinging onto Harvey.Inside, a group of elite heirs was deep in discussion about the stock market, excitedly talking about multiple stocks surging that day."I heard a little rumor—apparently, the Fisher family invested 60 million into BrightPeak Securities two days ago."These socialites had their ways of obtaining inside information. A transaction of that magnitude between Elara and BrightPeak Securities had not gone unnoticed.All eyes quickly turned to Harvey. He hesitated for a moment, then dismissed it with a casual shrug, thinking Elara merely got beginner's luck."My wife just got lucky."Even he wondered if Elara had overheard some inside informati
"Yay! Niamh, I'll be waiting for you!" Beau cheered and happily ended the call.Niamh shot Harvey a smug look. "Well? Impressive, right? Your son listens to me now!"Harvey warned, "Don't take him anywhere dangerous.""Relax! I know what I'm doing! Beau needs to follow my lead if he wants to grow into a real man!"…Elara returned to the boxing gym, where Beryl had been training Bambi for over half an hour.Bambi wore pink boxing gloves, and her hair was tied up in cute little twin buns. She punched the sandbag in a steady rhythm, while Beryl, who was holding it in place, took the brunt of her strength.Sweat poured off Beryl's body, drenching his shirt as if he had just been pulled from a lake.He asked while panting heavily, "You good? Need a break?"Meanwhile, Bambi hadn't broken a sweat. "I can hit it a hundred more times! One, two, three!"Even her voice was still full of energy.An hour later, Beryl collapsed onto the floor, clutching the sandbag in pure exhaustion. He
Harvey rushed into the children's room and saw Beau lying on the bed, and his body was covered in red rashes. He was having an allergic reaction again!"Call Dr. Keller," Harvey ordered with furrowed brows.The staff hesitated. "Mr. Beau's condition is serious! He might not make it in time for the doctor to arrive!"Without a second thought, Harvey picked up Beau and sprinted to the garage.By the time Harvey carried Beau out of the car at the hospital, the hospital director was already waiting at the entrance with a team of pediatric doctors."Mr. Fisher!" The director greeted him with the utmost respect.Harvey placed Beau onto a gurney, and the nurses wheeled him straight into the elevator. One of the doctors loosened Beau's collar and checked his pulse."Does Mr. Beau have any known drug allergies?" the doctor asked.Harvey turned to Mary.Mary stammered, "I—I don't know!"Lowering her head, she added softly, "Mrs. Fisher would know…"Harvey gave a sharp command. "Call E
Harvey reprimanded her coldly. "Are you really holding a grudge against a child? Beau's throat is swelling—his condition is critical.""Mr. Fisher, sending a million dollars takes you only three seconds," Elara replied.A sharp breath escaped Harvey's nose. He hated being manipulated like this."Elara Jones! You're heartless! You don't deserve to be a mother!"Even as he spoke, he transferred one million to Elara.The moment she received the notification, she relayed Beau's allergy history to the doctor over the phone."Harvey." Elara's voice came through the speaker.The man scoffed. "What? Got the money and had a change of heart?""Forget it. I was going to remind you about something, but I don't think it's necessary anymore." She hung up immediately.She had wanted to tell Harvey about Beau's habit of needing his own pillow, bedsheet, blanket, and pajamas if he had to stay overnight at the hospital.In the past, she always prepared those things herself whenever she took Be
Elara immediately turned and walked away. Time was running out. She needed to find a place with power and internet access as soon as possible to complete the online competition.She headed to a nearby café, only to discover that it also had no signal. Pressing the emergency call button, she dialed Finnegan."Finn, can I use the Internet at your gym? I lost all signal at home."Finnegan's voice came through, "I'm sorry, Elara. The gym was just shut down due to fire safety regulations.""What?"How could it be such a coincidence?Finnegan also found it strange. "Even my rental properties lost power today. I'll call the power company and check.""No need," Elara replied. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this."Finnegan quickly realized why Elara felt guilty. His expression turned grim. "Was it Harvey? Did he cut off your signal?""Finn, I have something really important to do. I believe things will work out."Elara didn't have time to explain further. She ended the call, clutchi
Theodore was truly a frightening man! Yet Elara didn't find this off-putting.Wasn't this exactly the sort of thing he would do? She had sensed this man's calculated advances from the moment he began appearing frequently in her life.Soon, Cassie left, and Elara sat in her office chair, moving back slightly."You can come out now," she commanded.Her voice had regained its composure. "You should have recovered by now, right, Mr. Snapp?"Theodore emerged from under the desk, which had been relatively cramped for someone of his size. He blinked at her, his eyes brimming with amusement as he asked, "Was that fun?""I almost fell for you," Elara blurted out, her voice carrying a more teasing tone.The man looked slightly disappointed. "So, you didn't fall for me after all?"Persistent, he leaned forward and lowered his voice to ask, "Did it feel good when you touched me earlier?"Elara's bright eyes sparkled with light as she had to admit, "I didn't expect you'd feel so nice to to
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