Semua Bab The Doting Bigwig: Bab 181 - Bab 190

Willow woke abruptly to the shrill ring of her phone. The loud sound startled her awake, and she rubbed her eyes groggily. Seeing Helen's bedroom door was slightly open, Willow immediately became fully alert.She rushed to the door, only to find the room empty. The front door of the poker house, which had been locked the previous night, now stood wide open. Helen had quietly left early while Willow was still asleep.Glancing around the empty house, Willow fumed and kicked a chair across the room. She thought bitterly that if Helen was so good at disappearing, she might as well keep it up. How could Helen, at her age, still be sneaking around like a lovesick teenager?Willow's phone was still ringing. Seeing the caller ID, she snapped back to reality and quickly hit the answer button. "Hello?""Why did it take you so long? Wasn't I supposed to drive you to work today? Where are you?" Theodore's voice came through the line."I had a few things to handle, so I came into the office ea

Willow led Cedar out of the Academic Affairs office.As they walked, she said, "Let's head to your dorm and see if there's anything you need to pack. It's a good opportunity for you to go home and rest for a few days. Classes have been tough, haven't they?""Willow, I didn't cheat," Cedar said.Willow stopped, gently brushed Cedar's hair back, and said softly, "I know."Cedar's eyes filled with tears."There's no need to cry. It's not the end of the world," Willow said, giving Cedar's shoulder a reassuring pat. "When you graduate and step into the real world, you'll encounter bigger challenges. You'll look back and see that this was just a minor bump in the road."Cedar sniffled and nodded. "I get it, Willow.""Go pack your things in your dorm. I'll wait for you downstairs."Cedar hummed in agreement.After watching Cedar walk into the men's dorm, Willow sat on a nearby bench.Cedar had always been outstanding in academics and character. He was the kind of person everyone con

Willow tapped out a message on her phone. "What's up?"After a bit, she got a reply. "Busy."The curt response made Willow quietly erase the message she was about to send. She had been planning to ask if Theodore wanted to go out for dinner tonight. Instead, she sent a coffee cup emoji.Theodore didn't respond further. Willow placed her phone down, took a deep breath, and turned on her computer to start working.She wasn't the clingy type and had outgrown the phase of being overly attached in relationships. As they were both nearing 30, they recognized the need to prioritize their own lives and had an unspoken agreement to maintain enough space for each other.…After finishing work in the evening, Willow took the elevator to the underground garage, ready to head home. Before starting her car, she sent a voice message to Theodore. "I'm done with work and heading home now. Are you still busy?"Receiving no reply, she assumed he was still tied up and started the engine. As soon as

Willow had just emerged from the kitchen with a glass of water when Theodore walked in as if he owned the place. She asked, "How did you get in?""I invited Theodore for dinner," Cedar replied on Theodore's behalf."Do you two know each other well enough for you to invite him to dinner like this?" Willow questioned.Theodore appeared unfazed by her words. He grabbed a pair of slippers from the shoe rack with the familiarity of someone who knew the place well and exchanged them for his own shoes. Then, he made his way to the dining table and settled in as if he owned the place."Hey?" Willow didn't want to argue with Theodore. Instead, she shot Cedar a pointed look. "Cedar!"Cedar remained composed, his tone subtly implying something. "Willow, isn't it quite a coincidence to find a pair of men's slippers here?"Willow's expression stiffened.Cedar continued, "You two go ahead and take a seat. I'll fetch another set of tableware."Willow pulled out a chair, deliberately making it

Sara was enjoying a relaxed conversation with friends when David burst in and interrupted with unexpected news. "Madam Sara, the police have arrived."The mood in the room shifted instantly and whispers swept through the crowd. "What's happening?"Sara flung a finely crafted porcelain cup onto the living room floor, where it smashed to pieces. Her outraged shout filled the house. "This is ridiculous!""Mom, calm down. I've already called Theodore," Ellie said."Where is he? Tell him to come back immediately and end things with that woman!" Sara shook with anger. "Who does she think she is? Her car gets vandalized and she points the finger at us?"If I were really out to get her, I wouldn't resort to such petty methods. Who does she think the Bassetts are? Who does she think she is, anyway?"Ellie took the cup from Kelly's hands. "Mom, have a cup of coffee to calm down.""You want me to have coffee now? Get that woman over here to face me!" Sara snapped, knocking the cup over.E