Semua Bab Side Chick Era… Over: Bab 1441 - Bab 1450

No matter what Richard did, Shayla had always treated him with a quiet detachment.Later, if not for crises in the McKinzie family that brought ridicule upon her, he might never have had the chance to stand firmly by her side. He suspected he would never truly reach her heart.Finally, when he did make Shayla love him, they shared two years of happiness. No one could have imagined that those two years would be the only best years of their lives.Thinking of that, a flicker of pain crossed Richard's eyes.Sharon listened in silence.The McKinzie family wasn't foolish enough to lie. Richard, naturally, wouldn't lie either.She could barely imagine how her mother had survived, caught between wolves in front and tigers behind, with nowhere to turn. Now she could understand why Shayla ultimately had no choice but to escape.At that time, the McKinzie family was in decline. They depended on others at every turn. They would never have agreed to a divorce. And if Shayla had sought refug

Tina blinked her eyes, her voice bright and eager. "Sharon, it's so rare to run into you! Lunch is on me today."Before Sharon could respond, Tina chattered on, spilling stories about online gossip about Sharon's relationships that neither Sharon nor Thomas had heard before.She rattled off gossip after gossip, her voice crisp and sweet. Though she talked a lot, it never felt grating or annoying.After a while, Tina seemed to realize she might be overstepping and grew slightly embarrassed."Sorry, I talked too much and probably interrupted your practice," she said, her tone apologetic. "I won't bother you anymore. I'll come back at lunchtime."She left with remarkable tact, disappearing down the hall.Watching from the surveillance screen, Jamie sneered. "Another clueless girl. She has no idea how Thomas will toy with her… and she probably never will."Like Jamie, Thomas was not the type to coddle women.Jamie himself rarely paid attention to women. His reputation alone kept mo

Tina turned to look at Thomas and quickly said, "Sorry, I was just too curious."Thomas settled onto the sofa. "All right, Tina, you may begin."Snapping out of her distraction, Tina started explaining how to create opportunities for subtle, intimate physical contact. As she talked, she glanced at him a few times and noticed he was listening with real focus.After about half an hour, she finally said, "Theory alone isn't enough. We can't skip the practical part. Most chances only come once. If you miss that moment, who knows when the next one will come? Should we try it out—just to get familiar with the steps?"Thomas focused his gaze on her. "Oh? And how do we practice this?"Tina decided to ease him in, slow and steady, like warming a chicken in a pot."Didn't we just talk about how, when you're supporting Sharon, you can naturally guide her into your arms? Why don't we start with that move first?"Thomas's thin lips curved faintly as he rose to his feet. "All right."Looking

Lex's lips curved into a meaningful smile. "If she isn't a Kalen heiress, do you think she'll have to return everything she's gained?"Cole froze. "Uncle Lex… are you saying you mean to—?"A sharp gleam flashed in Lex's eyes. "Her grandmother Julia's birthday celebration is coming up. That's our best chance. By then, all we have to do is watch."…After Tina was discharged, her determination hadn't waned. She tried approaching Thomas twice more—and each time, she ended up injured even worse than before.Every time she got close to him, some accident seemed to strike.At first, she blamed the indoor setting and moved their next attempt to a quiet outdoor park. The park was serene, its atmosphere almost cinematic. Thick foliage surrounded them, perfect for a "stealth" encounter.Thomas, as always, agreed without hesitation.But just as she prepared to teach him the infamous "wall pin" move, a hornet's nest, for some reason, fell from above and smashed onto her head. Tina's face s

The Kalen family, confident in their status, might never stoop to such crude measures. But the McKinzie family—having tasted decline and now eager to reclaim their former glory—might fight with everything they had.Sharon chose Thomas as her escort to Julia's birthday banquet.As they arrived at the entrance, Sharon noticed that Thomas seemed unusually quiet, more subdued than usual."Thomas, what's wrong today? Are you feeling unwell?" she asked.He furrowed his brows. "I don't know why, but I feel… unsettled today.""Did you have trouble sleeping again last night?""No," he said. Perhaps it was his mood; the frequency of his insomnia had gradually lessened in recent days. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before he felt almost normal again.Once inside the banquet hall, Thomas found a quiet moment to call Liam, inquiring about Lex's progress."There have been some obstacles," Liam reported. "Lex has been in frequent contact with the McKinzie family lately. Although we've sent