บททั้งหมดของ The Whims of Fortune: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 9

At the entrance of our house."Mom, I want to go with you," Fiona said as she held our mother's hand tightly, her eyes full of smug delight.My father, Michael Langley, frowned deeply, his gaze full of pity. "Fiona, you'll suffer if you go with your mother. Stay with me. I can give you a better life."I stood on the sidewalk like I was a spectator in my own family. No one cared how I felt.In this family of four, I had always been the extra one from the moment my sister was born.Fiona was well-behaved and clever, knowing how to please our parents easily. Meanwhile, I was slow with words and did not even know how to seek attention around them. Little by little, they favored her increasingly, until I became almost invisible in this house.Jessica looked down at Fiona with clear disapproval in her eyes. "Fiona, stop being so stubborn. Your dad is right. You'll suffer if you stay with me."But Fiona had already made up her mind. She shook her head and said firmly, "No. I want to go

I stood in the center of the living room, stunned by Scott's words.Could my future really be mine to decide?Scott simply left me with one short but meaningful sentence. "When you have thought it through, come see me."Michael opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but Scott's indomitable presence forced every word back down his throat."Dad, I'll never…" My protest was cut off by a sudden, frantic pounding on the door.The door was forced open, and Fiona stumbled inside, clothes torn, face covered in bruises, utterly disheveled."Dad, please… Save me…" Fiona sobbed, her tone and eyes full of despair.When our eyes met, something dark flashed inside hers. It was a mix of resentment and regret.Michael looked at her with pity. "Fiona? What happened to you?! How has your mother been raising you? How could she let you end up like this?!"My fists clenched at my sides, nails dug deep into my palms, and the pain kept my mind clear. "Mom… Mom told me to sleep with some old men so th

Zoey stared at Scott in disbelief. She hadn't expected him to speak at all."Is that all you plan to say?" Scott's voice was calm, yet it carried a tone that allowed no refusal.I observed them both, and an unfamiliar emotion rose slowly in my heart.I took a deep breath and slowly said, "I… I'm very grateful that you didn't condemn me alongside them. My sister's actions don't represent me. I…""Stay." That one word was enough to stun me as I looked at Scott.He then added, "You have always had very good grades, and you're bright. You can consider joining the Howard Group and working with me in the future."My heart skipped a beat and then went wild with unexplainable excitement.For someone like me, this was an opportunity beyond anything I had ever dared dream of. I raised my head to look at him, my heart pounding as I nodded.In the end, I chose not to study overseas. Perhaps staying here suited me better.Some time later, Michael came to me. His voice was worn and heavy wi

"You're on your own now, you moron! The truth is, the Howard family is about to bankrupt. Let's see how long you can keep that attitude!" Fiona's words felt like a curse, making my heart sink.She walked away after she was done.-Sure enough, something happened to the Howard family soon after. Their once powerful business empire began to crumble after a sudden, damaging leak of confidential data.In the office, the mood was heavy. Scott sat behind his desk with a deep frown, his fingertip tapping lightly on the surface with a level of anxiety never seen before."Mr. Howard, this incident is extremely serious. Our client data, product formulas, and even our future strategic plans have all been leaked," Scott's personal assistant's voice was low and tense, every word hitting Scott heavily.Scott drew a long breath and forced himself to stay calm. "Investigate this. Find out exactly who did this!"But they couldn't find anything.Because of this, the Howard family's company fell

Once the Howard Group was back on track, Michael showed up again with a fawning smile on his face."Zoey, we're still family, after all. Now that the company is doing great again, as Ursula's dad, I want to contribute, too." His eyes were evasive, and his tone was excessively flattering.Zoey sat on the couch, looking at the man in front of her coldly, a faint sneer on her lips. "Contribute? You didn't think that way when you left in the first place. Now that the company's doing well, you want to come back and take a piece? Not happening."Michael's face froze with embarrassment instantly, but that didn't stop him from trying to explain. "Don't say that, Zoey. I admit I was wrong. I'll do better from now on."Zoey had clearly heard enough. She raised her hand, and security came to escort him out.As the door closed, there was a cold determination in her eyes.At the same time, Jessica's life was collapsing. After Fiona had gone to prison, it was as if she had lost the only pillar