Theodore continued, "Starting tomorrow, will you let me pursue you properly? One day, I'll become your rightful partner!"The darkness concealed Elara's expression, but their proximity allowed each to hear the other's breathing. When Elara looked up, only Theodore's eyes burned bright in the shadows.His breath hitched when she remained silent.Was she refusing?The fingers of the hand braced beside her head curled inward slowly.Just then, the elevator doors opened, flooding the hallway with light that illuminated Elara's profile and Theodore's gaze. There against the wall, he saw Elara's lips curve—her eyes sparkling with amusement.She had guessed right. Theodore would never willingly end things. Of course, this man sought to turn passive into active.A contractual relationship would only trap them in stagnation, and he refused to settle for that. As Theodore opened his mouth to speak, a new shadow loomed.Finnegan stepped out of the elevator and immediately saw Elara caged
"It's all over Capitol! You and Niamh took some drugs at Jones Group and carried on shamelessly!"Look! Every group chat I'm in is flooded with videos and photos of you two!"Ethel thrust her phone in Harvey's face. He saw it immediately—images and clips of a bruised Niamh collapsed on the floor circulating across countless group chats.Some guests lingering outside the door must have secretly recorded the scene. These weren't just random spectators but established elites, lending credibility to the footage.By now, the materials had been forwarded too many times to trace their origin. Niamh dominated most frames, with Harvey only appearing blurrily in a few shots.He returned the phone. "I'll have my team clarify that nothing happened between Niamh and me."Ethel exhaled in relief. "Thank heavens you didn't actually tangle with that mannish creature! So many elite daughters in Capitol would kill to become Mrs. Fisher!"Hmph, the members of the Jones family aren't even fit to po
Beau was laying on the bed. His large, pitch-black pupils occupied most of his eye sockets, leaving only tiny whites that emitted a faint blue glow in the dim room.Harvey opened his mouth, only to feel as if someone had stuffed a wad of paper down his throat. His voice caught abruptly. Yet Beau's gaze was still brimming with longing and expectation.The boy tightened his grip on Harvey's sleeve."She already divorced me..." Harvey said slowly.How could he possibly reconcile with Elara? He would never return to what he'd left behind. After all, when they signed the divorce papers, he declared Elara would be the one begging him!When they obtained the divorce certificate, the thought of turning back never crossed his mind! Even if Elara had pleaded with him, it would still be impossible!Yet for Beau's sake, Harvey decided to make his greatest concession."If your mother comes begging for reconciliation, I'll consider it." As he spoke these words, Harvey clenched his fist—the st
"Wah!" Beau burst into loud sobs, his cries weak but desperate."I want Mommy! Daddy! I only want my mommy!"Harvey's handsome face froze over with icy detachment. Without another word to Beau, he turned and left the children's room.When the door closed behind him, Beau's wailing became muffled.…Harvey returned to his bedroom, but even in the quiet emptiness, he still couldn't catch his breath. A cold sensation crept up from his feet.Striding to the walk-in closet, he yanked open every drawer. He pulled out ties, watches, cufflinks, and pins, scattering them across the floor.Did Elara give him this one? Did she buy him that? Frustration crept in as he realized he couldn't remember.The gifts from business associates stood out clearly in his memory, but he couldn't distinguish which items came from Elara versus his stylist. With growing dismay, Harvey realized he'd never properly looked at any present from Elara—not even once.Now he couldn't recall which accessories were
The hospital room door suddenly swung open from the outside. Benjamin entered to find Abel pressing a pillow over Niamh's face.Without hesitation, he charged forward, shoving Abel away with his body. Abel stumbled backward onto the nightstand, still clutching the pillow in both hands."What the hell are you doing?" Abel roared at Benjamin as he looked at him, as if the younger man had interrupted him trying to discipline Nimah.Benjamin saw Niamh's eyes rolling back. Her face had turned blue, mouth gaping but unable to draw breath. He immediately administered chest compressions, reviving Niamh just in time.Abel threw the pillow at Benjamin. "How dare you push me?""You nearly killed her!" Benjamin snapped back.Spittle flew from Abel's mouth. "She's disgraced me personally and ruined our family's standing in Capitol society!"Benjamin retreated a step with a cold laugh. "Then go ahead and kill her!"Saving lives was instinctual, but now he regretted intervening. Had he stayed
Niamh's mouth opened, her voice trembling as she muttered, "Why… Why would Harvey say that?"By pushing all the blame onto her, wasn't Harvey essentially sentencing her to death? It was no wonder Abel wanted to kill her! Niamh shivered violently, feeling as if her heart might split apart.Abel pointed at her face and growled, "After I break your legs, I'll drag you to the Fisher family to beg Harvey's forgiveness!""Dad! No! Harvey's lying! What he's saying isn't true!"She knew with certainty that Abel would truly break her legs. Disaster was coming for her!Benjamin interjected coldly, "What you should consider is why Harvey would say this. Regardless of the truth, when Harvey shifts all the blame to you, it means you've become worthless to him!"To him, you're just a scapegoat now!"Tears welled in Niamh's eyes. Had Harvey forgotten Dawn's dying words? How could he do this to her?"Dad, I've been framed!" Niamh murmured despairingly.Abel refused to listen. "I don't care if
Rosalie's lips curled into a mocking smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Of course, you'd get selected no matter what you perform. I mean, having a school board chairman for a father does wonders."Nearby parents exchanged knowing glances.Elara asked calmly, "Ms. Fisher, did Harvey say something to you?""Not at all," Rosalie replied."Then are you just spreading rumors?" Elara continued. "My daughter's performance earned the arts department's approval. What does that have to do with the Fisher family?"Rosalie lifted her chin, her gaze turning condescending. Since Elara's divorce from Harvey, Rosalie had looked at her like royalty observing an ant beneath her feet."The arts teachers only approved it because Harvey's on the board."Elara simply smiled. Rosalie was clearly trying to pick a fight, but Elara wasn't interested in proving herself. She had no intention of arguing over whether her daughter's opportunity to perform was the result of favoritism from Harvey.Instead, sh
Xavier eyed his surroundings warily, refusing to let anyone touch him as he walked between bodyguards. The backstage area bustled with people and large props. Some children wore exaggerated stage makeup and brightly colored costumes.Like a kitten caught in traffic, Xavier trembled with fear at the unfamiliar environment."Xavier!" Merida's loud, cheerful voice cut through the noise.Spotting Merida and Elara in the crowd, Xavier's dark eyes immediately lit up. He broke into a run toward them.Merida dashed forward too, leaping to meet Xavier. She scooped him up effortlessly, lifting him high into the air.Xavier soared upward, his face breaking into a smile at Merida's beaming expression.After spinning him around once, Merida carefully set him down—knowing more spins would make him dizzy."Xavier! I'm so happy you're here! Did you come to watch my performance?"Xavier nodded earnestly.His fingers reached out to touch the fringes on Merida's vibrant pink costume, his admirin
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