"I can't believe that the girl dad replaced mom with is actually my age. This is so absurd!"I overheard the following conversation as I was about to head outside."And that woman has the nerve to act sweet and clingy in front of us! If you ask me, she's just a gold digger! She thought she was beautiful, but it's obvious her nose was fake!" I unconsciously touched my own nose. I have never undergone plastic surgery, and for that girl to suggest that Veronica's nose is fake makes me wonder if she thinks mine is too. I can't decide if I should be offended or irritated by her remarks.Today, we had a party at our house to meet Veronica's future husband. He came with his two children, and I met this woman while making a call outside."That's it! I won't allow their marriage to continue. No way! I won't let her replace mom in our lives," a thought and a feeling of determination stirring within me.I approached the woman slowly, the sound of my heels catching her attention. She ended her ca

"Oh, my sister! Are you crying?" I woke up to the sound of Veronica's voice.I removed my hand from my face and tried to refocus on my work."Did you see any tears to know I was crying?" I asked sarcasticly."Well, I'm sorry. I just thought you might be upset because I heard from dad that you and Karious had a fight." Veronica said nonchalantly but still with curiosity evident in her eyes.My eyes rolled. "If you're here just to find out what happened, I'm sorry, but I'm not in the mood to talk about it.""Don't worry, I'm not prying. But if you need someone to talk to, I'm here to listen." She sat down on the sofa and grabbed an apple from the table.I gave her a sarcastic smile. "That's kind of you, but no thanks. I can manage on my own.""You can try. I've noticed you don't have many friends, Kassandra. It must be tough. I want to be there for you, so you won't feel alone."I sighed, dropping the folder I was reading. Despite my irritation, it seemed she was determined to stay. Oka

"Veronica and I share a unique bond while growing up together in the orphanage. While I was fortunate to be adopted early on, Veronica had to wait longer," Mikael shared.After finishing our meal, the conversation naturally turned towards Mikael's adoptive parents."How are your adoptive parents?" I inquired."They are amazing, truly the best I could have hoped for. They had always wanted a child, but due to my mother's age and the risks involved, they decided to adopt. Miraculously, they later conceived a child, and now I have a younger sister," Mikael explained."That's wonderful to hear. Unlike me, I grew up as the only daughter in my family, surrounded by male relatives. It was quite a surprise to discover I had a sister. But, looking back, it feels like a blessing," I chuckled. I can’t believe I’m spouting this myself.Mikael agreed, and I then shifted the conversation to Veronica's childhood."Tell me more about Veronica as a child. It's unfortunate that we couldn't be there for

"Thank you so much for accompanying me, Mikael. I truly appreciate it, and I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. I understand you have a busy schedule at the restaurant." As we headed to the orphanage, the place where Mikael and Veronica had spent their childhood, I felt a mix of emotions. Mikael's reassuring smile accompanied his response, "No need to worry about it. It's perfectly okay." His gaze met mine, conveying a sense of understanding beyond words. However, my internal turmoil persisted. The situation wasn't as simple as he made it seem. I had initially promised that we'd visit the orphanage in two days, but work commitments and unforeseen complications led to today's abrupt plan change. Mikael and I had started our travel early. I had plans to return to the office later in the afternoon. Moreover, news had reached me that Karious had returned home so I didn't go to work this morning because I knew Karious was going to see me. We will talk when I come back

"The good thing is, I was able to get her even before she was taken to facilities in another country. It will be more difficult for us to get her if that happens.”"Miss Kassandra, are you with me?" Atty. Buenavida’s voice sharply snapped me back to the present."Oh, I'm sorry, attorney! My mind was wandering," I replied apologetically.He grinned and took a sip on his coffee. "No problem. As I was saying, the evidence you've gathered is more than sufficient to file a case against Ms. Sandoval. By the way, I also need to have a conversation with your boyfriend's attorney to explore all potential legal actions we can take.""Yes, I'll arrange a meeting with you soon, attorney. Thank you so much for your assistance."After concluding the conversation with the attorney, I left the law firm and headed back to the company. As I prepared to leave the building, I reached into my bag to grab my cellphone. I intended to call Karious because we had matters to discuss and a meeting scheduled for