Zoey raised her head and noticed Serena in a corner. "What are you doing here?"She frowned. "Isn't your patisserie keeping you busy? Why do you have the time to look for Damian here?""I'm here for you.""Me?" Zoey was confused. "Why are you looking for me?""Let's speak in the lounge," Serena suggested.There were so many people in this room; Serena didn't want to become the focus of discussion later. In addition, Zoey's misconduct would also implicate Damian's studio. Therefore, she thought it would be better to speak in private.However, Zoey folded her arms and said, "What is it that cannot be said in public and has to be said in the lounge? I'm busy now. Just be out with it here."Serena didn't insist. "Do you remember that plush teddy bear you gave me?""I do. What's the matter?"At the mention of this, guilt flashed past Zoey's eyes almost unnoticeably, but Serena was watching every change on her face."How do you explain the surveillance camera hidden inside?"Ins
On the day of her release, Zoey went back to the studio in a huff and overheard Harvey and Sunny's conversation."Zoey isn't suited to work here at all. Her photography skills are bad, and she has a foul temper. Sooner or later, the studio will be ruined if she remains here," said Sunny.Harvey was hesitant. "But if we ask her to leave, she'll definitely throw a fit, given that temper of hers.""It doesn't change anything even if she gets mad. Everyone saw what happened today, and the news will spread after this. For the sake of the studio's reputation, we must ask her to leave.""Sunny, why don't you speak with her? I can't do it."Livid, Zoey barged into the room. "So, what are you guys discussing behind my back?"Harvey's face stiffened. "Why are you released, Zoey?""My parents bailed me out. I can't possibly pin my hopes on you guys. "I was pushed over, but you guys are planning to get rid of me instead of helping me!" she growled.Sunny said directly, "Since you've hear
"What are you doing here?" Damian asked."How could you be so heartless, Damian?" Zoey was a little angry.Closing the door, she then paced to him. "Are you pretending you don't know, or do you really not know about this? "The main reason I'm working in this studio is actually… because of you."A soft blush crept over Zoey's face. She had never bothered confessing her feelings to others, but Damian was handsome and came from a prestigious family. The first time she laid eyes on him, she was attracted to him.She pestered Harvey and insisted on working in this studio mainly because she wanted Damian to fall for her.It had been so long, but Damian didn't make a move at all. So, she had to take the initiative.Damian glanced at her. "What are you doing now? Are you confessing your feelings for me?"The blush on Zoey's face deepened. "I'm serious. Damian, don't tell me to leave. I kind of like you."Slowly, Damian rose to his feet and snorted into laughter out of the blue. "Didn
Tears welled up in Zoey's eyes from fear. "I-I…""Nobody will believe anything you say, but let me tell you. If you say anything wrong, I have ways to put you in jail," Damian threatened."I won't speak a word about it." Zoey shook her head. "I promise. My lips are sealed.""Also, I'm warning you. If you harbor any evil thoughts toward Serena, I'll kill you," he warned and slowly released her throat. "Get lost."Opening the door, Zoey dashed out of the room.Harvey's voice echoed from outside, saying, "What's the matter with you, Zoey?""Nothing. I'm leaving the studio. From today onward, I'm unrelated to the studio.""Zoey—"The sounds of rushed, erratic footsteps died away, and an unnerving quiet settled over the area. Lying on the couch, Damian turned on his cell phone again. His eyes turned colder as he watched the video of Serena making out with Wilson. Then, the lights were switched off, and the screen turned dark.He turned off his cell phone as well, and the look in
The last time when Charlotte threw a high-tea party, Lauren openly snapped back at Kelly, driving her up the wall."Jo, don't you have any standards when it comes to recruitment?" Kelly asked.The look on Lauren's face was equally ugly. "Mrs. Collinsworth, what do you mean by that? Do you mean that I'm some kind of junk who's disgracing the company by working here?""This company belongs to the Collinsworth family. If I think you're not qualified, then you're not." Kelly turned to Joseph. "Fire her, Jo!"Hearing that, Lauren turned to Joseph, too. If he danced to the same tune as Kelly, she'd break his dumb head before resigning and leaving this shitty place.Joseph wore a somber expression. "Mom, since this company is mine, then I should manage it. Lauren is serious at work. I have no reason to fire her."Furthermore, she was the one who supported me in making a career for myself. That's why I started a company. This company wouldn't have existed without her. I'd still be raci
Kelly held her forehead, her temples throbbing, and decided to change the topic. "Let's not speak about Jo anymore. What about you? How are things between you and Willow?""We're doing fine.""Great. Should I free up some time to meet her parents after this?""Well… I'll have to check with her." In the spacious office, Arthur was on the couch. He spun his head, turning to Willow, who was on the other end of the couch with her legs on his thighs. "What do you think, Willow?"While snacking on grapes, Willow chuckled softly. "I don't mind. If Mrs. Collinsworth wants to visit, she can do as she wishes."But I must remind her to prepare herself mentally, or my parents may just drive her crazy."Arthur chuckled and conveyed her message to Kelly, "Willow doesn't mind, but her parents are not easygoing people. You should be prepared for that.""That's okay. I understand that."Their beloved daughter was dating a man. As her parents, they must feel unbearable.Kelly just had to sh
When Kelly was out of the house, she called Arthur and told him about Ronald's request.Arthur was not the least surprised. "I got it. I'll visit him afterward.""This family is weird. Artie, invite Willow home and let me meet her."She was worried that a child brought up by Ronald and Carmen would turn out weird as well."The time will come," Arthur replied perfunctorily. …As it was still early after hanging up with Arthur, Kelly decided to go shopping."Mrs. Collinsworth, many from the Nocturna upper-class are saying that there's a good patisserie. Would you like to take a look?" her driver suggested."A patisserie?" All of a sudden, Serena came into Kelly's mind.Speaking of which, the desserts made by Serena were delicious, and she suddenly had a craving for desserts."Sure. Let's check it out."Her driver sped along and soon reached a patisserie. Kelly glanced at the storefront and thought that it was tastefully decorated.The store was spacious. Even though it wasn'
Hearing that, Willow snickered sarcastically. "They're not what you were expecting, are they?"Kelly wasn't sure of what she meant by that and answered hesitantly, "They are a little…" "Mrs. Collinsworth, please don't mind me. I will not be your daughter-in-law," Willow said with a straight face."What do you mean by this? Are you not serious about Artie?""Arthur is a good catch. Sadly, the Collinsworth family doesn't have any huge transactions with my father in business, and neither are you guys a family with influence. "Since you can't provide any useful help in projects, you'll have to provide benefits from other industries."Willow blew out a puff of smoke. "My father is a greedy man, and your family won't agree to his terms." Stunned, Kelly then realized that Ronald wanted Arthur to visit him personally because he wanted to name the terms with him. However, she wasn't worried because Arthur always had a mind of his own and wouldn't mess with their family business. B
Jillian's answer was savage. "I, for one, am relieved that I did not invest in Desiree's studio. She has blood on her hands and has committed so many unspeakable crimes. If I'd been affiliated with her studio, it would have shaved years off my life!"Desiree argued angrily, "Those are rumors, Grandma! Serena was trying to launch a smear campaign against me!""I can judge whether it was a smear campaign or not! Now, you will stop the damage you've done to Serena's patisserie, and that's final!" Jillian snapped."No way!" Desiree refused outright. "I want nothing more than to see that bitch dead! I will never help her clear her name!"Looking thunderous, Jillian stood up and slapped Desiree hard across the face. An angry hand imprint formed on Desiree's snow-white cheek, and she fell into a daze.Gary was apoplectic. "Mom! What are you doing? You just hit your granddaughter!""I have no granddaughter as wicked and vile as her!" Jillian seethed."You've crossed the line! I'll—"Be
Jillian initially believed Desiree would not be as ruthless as Gary, who did not draw the line at hurting family.However, after Desiree's bullying scandal that led to someone's death and the incident today, Jillian came to realize that Desiree and Gary were both scoundrels.…Gary had a villa in Nocturna as well. Following her recent scandal, Desiree had confined herself within the villa. While nursing her bruised ego, she plotted against Serena.The media outlets she'd hired to write vicious articles about Serena were silenced. It wasn't hard to figure out Wilson was behind the gag order. Did he truly care about Serena that much? Desiree frowned. She was trying to devise new ways to torment Serena when she heard the maid say they had a guest."What guest?" No one had bothered coming to see Desiree since her fall from grace. Puzzled, she got up to see a silver-haired old lady approaching her with a steady gait, followed by her entourage.Desiree was surprised. "Grandma?"She
Serena uttered, "Wilson?""Do you need help?" Wilson asked.Serena admitted reluctantly, "Yes."She thought she heard him chuckle on the other end of the line. "Send me the address."She sent him the address of the fruit shop. Within 20 minutes, the rumbling sound of the car engine came from outside the shop.Wilson led his men into the establishment, rolling up the sleeves of his black shirt to reveal his expensive watch. His gaze swept over the people in the room before falling on the deliveryman."Is that the guy?" Wilson asked.Serena nodded. "Yes, but we can't get anything out of him. He insists that it's a personal grudge against the shopowner.""Leave the interrogating to the professionals, Serena," Wilson drawled as he gave Kayden a look. The latter got the hint and immediately dragged the deliveryman to the other side of the room.Serena asked in hushed tones, "You're not going to kill him or anything, are you?""Am I that cruel?" Wilson quipped.Serena eyed him spe
Joanna had only just made the announcement when a few uniformed officers entered the kitchen. After presenting their warrant, they informed Serena they had come to investigate her patisserie.Serena had no grounds to obstruct the officers' work, so she agreed. The officers took a few ingredient samples and looked into the hygiene conditions of the patisserie."The results should be out soon, Ms. Judd. Wait for our notice," one of the officers said."Alright."When Serena had seen the officers out the door, she stopped all business sales in the patisserie. She also took a few ingredient samples to have them tested.Joanna was distressed. "Our ingredients are fine, Serena. What are you worried about?""We can't be too certain," Serena pointed out.Whoever was behind this wouldn't have stirred up this much trouble without laying the groundwork. Serena figured she was better off safe than sorry.She didn't have any connections to ensure a rapid testing of the ingredients, so she we
Jessica waited until Justin left before turning to Lila. "What's your relationship with Mr. Farrow?""I'm indebted to him," Lila said."Look, I don't care how you managed to bewitch Mr. Farrow, but I expect you to do a good job as my assistant. I won't go easy on you just because you're involved with Mr. Farrow, got it?" Jessica warned."Yes. Uh, Ms. Hayes, is there any work you'd like me to do now?" Lila asked."You can start with tidying up my workdesk.""Alright." Lila immediately went over to the desk and got to work.A smile curved Jessica's lips. She might not have been able to boss Serena around, but she doubted Lila was a tough opponent. "When you're done with the workdesk, get me a cup of coffee.""Got it," Lila replied dutifully.Jessica was pleased by Lila's obedience and turned to walk away.While tidying up Jessica's desk, Lila spotted the docket set on one side. It contained a thick tender proposal. She stared at the proposal for a few seconds, then looked away.
After leaving the restaurant, Justin gave Lila a ride back to her place, which she rented. Upon entering the residential area, he remarked, "This neighborhood looks old and run-down. You should move someplace nicer."Lila replied slowly, "I should, but first, I need a new job."When Justin heard this, he was suddenly reminded of something. "Your manager mentioned you were in college, but then you quit halfway and started working at the club because you were in dire straits. Which college did you go to?""I was a student at Nocturna University, the local campus," Lila answered."That's a pretty good university." Justin was a little stunned. This was the first time he'd asked about her private life, and her answer surprised him. After some thought, he offered, "You should go back to college. I'll continue to sponsor you.""Really?" Lila's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Mr. Farrow—""Stop thanking me. You were supposed to have a brilliant life full of experiences, and you shouldn't waste
Justin was seated at a table in a high-end restaurant in Nocturna as he stared at the phone in his hand. The news about Ronald was displayed on the screen.Surprised that Ronald had been imprisoned, Justin read the article carefully, then closed the page. The Quades' affairs were none of his concern. With his company recently gearing up to bid on a large project, he'd painstakingly drafted the tender proposal and planned to submit it for the bidding."Aren't you going to eat, Mr. Farrow?" Lila asked softly from across the table."I was checking the news," Justin said, pocketing his phone.Lila poked at the steak on her plate. "Mr. Farrow, this is my first time dining at such a fancy restaurant… I never had a chance to come to such places before.""I gave you money, didn't I? You can eat whatever and wherever you want.""You've been incredibly kind to me, Mr. Farrow… I must have saved the universe in my past life to meet you in this one," Lila said.Justin fell into a momentary d
Willow's voice trembled slightly, followed by a bitter smile. "Arthur, what do you think she was trying to do? I'd already given up on our relationship. And now, she dies right in front of me. Do you know what her last words to me were? She said she's sorry."She lowered her head, hands digging into her hair. She looked completely drained, both physically and emotionally. "I don't understand. Did she love me or not? If she did, why was she always siding with Ronald? Why didn't she ever stand up for me? But then, there were so many times I felt like she did love me."Tears slid down her cheeks. "I remember when I was little and had a fever. She stayed up the whole night with me, didn't sleep a second. When I got beaten, she'd secretly put medication on me. When I went overseas, she used to call and ask how I was doing. But after a few minutes, she'd start scolding me, saying I never called Ronald."If she really loved me, why didn't she protect me when he hit me? Why did she want me
Willow rushed forward and caught Carmen just before she collapsed.A nearby officer tackled Ronald to the ground.Carmen fell into her arms, tears streaming down her face. Her hand trembled as she reached up and gently touched Willow's cheek. There was sorrow and guilt in her eyes.Her vision blurred as her consciousness faded, but in that haze, she saw a memory—Willow as a child. Back when she first gave birth to her, Ronald and his mother, Sarah Pattinson, were furious that it was a girl. They didn't even bother to visit.For those first few years, it was just her and Willow getting through one sleepless night after another. It was Willow who filled the emptiness and pain in her heart.She used to hold that tiny child in the dark, press kisses onto her soft little face, and dream that one day her daughter would grow up to be poised and happy, with a good life ahead.However, the moment Ronald came back into their lives, fear returned with him. She feared him and ultimately ga