The next morning, Duncan made breakfast with a pleasant smile that got everyone who caught a glimpse of him marveled. They wondered whether he had won a lottery ticket. Laila, after seeing Duncan set the dining table with a big smile on his face, wondered if Zinnia had given him a chance to take advantage of her last night because she was feeling angry. She rushed to Zinnia's room and after knocking three times, Zinnia opened the door, surfacing with a smile on her face. "Zinnia, you look happy," Laila observed as she walked into the room. Zinnia locked the door behind and inhaled the dress morning air that came in through the windows of the room she had opened a while ago. "Zinnia?" "What is it, Mother? Isn't the morning air so nice in your room?" "What?" "Are the windows of your room open?" "Well…whatever! You have not even greeted me, Zinnia." Laila frowned, rolling her eyes. "Oh. My bad." Zinnia chuckled and pulled her mother into a hug. "You smell so nice this morning. Did

Bella rolled her eyes as she exchanged glances with Aaron, saying, "Could he possibly know that you were the one who swapped the flash drives?" Having a second thought about it, Bella gulped with Aaron as they stared inquisitively at Lisa whose brows furrowed."Ah, no, Mother. He didn't," Lena said, shaking her head."Oh, Lisa, are you sure…?""Yes, Aaron, you fool. I'm not a dunce like you, you know.""Okay." Aaron let out a bitter chuckle before sitting back on the bed."Lisa?""Mother, I am a hundred percent sure about that," Lisa said and gave a certain nod. "You know, Duncan is a fool. He came to clean the office that morning and I can bet my fortune that he doesn't even suspect me."Feeling assured by her daughter's words, Bella smiled broadly. "You are really my daughter, Lisa. I am proud of you."Lisa smirked and lifted an eyebrow. "And?""And, dear, I believe in you. I am sure you will topple Zinnia and Marcus. You will win your grandmother's heart with your presentation and

Everyone's eyes grew bigger as Ma'am Luna glared at Lisa who couldn't stand up straight and stared at her. Lisa's emotions swirled inside her, a tumultuous storm of shame, humiliation, and confusion. The stinging sensation on her cheek served as a constant reminder of the physical and emotional impact of her grandmother's slap. As her family members arose, her parents' expressions were a mix of concern and disbelief, Lisa felt the weight of their collective judgment pressing down on her. Feeling exposed and vulnerable, Lisa's eyes darted from one family member to another, briefly making eye contact before dropping her gaze to the laptop screen in front of her. The screen, once a source of comfort and escape, now seemed like a portal into her own darkness. She couldn't help but question herself, wondering if the person in the video was truly her. Doubt gnawed at her, but deep down, she knew it wasn't her. It was a relief to have that clarity, but it also intensified her need to find

With their faces just inches away, Karla felt her cheeks burning locking her eyes onto Duncan's. When he lifted his brows, she arched a brow and nodded lightly before he glanced at her hand.Not taking her hand off, she poised to continue. "I am sure you're not fretting because of your wife, right?""I'm Duncan Walton.""Correct. And…?""I'm bound to win in any game I partake in. Yeah, I was thinking Lisa was going to do the presentation but I had a change of mind this morning and without thinking of the aftermath, I proceeded with my new plan.""What do you mean?"Not bothering to give her a long narration, he went on talking, leaving her confused."I need to make a good presentation to beat Zinnia's no matter what.""Sure, I am here to help you.""No. Take your hand off." Karla blinked uncontrollably as he gave her a steel expression before she proceeded to withdraw her hand."Also, you're not capable of helping me, Karla.""What? I…"Before Karla could finish a statement to defend

Duncan entered the meeting room with a confident stride. As he stepped inside, he observed the representatives of the company engaged in a lively conversation about the previous presenter which was Zinnia. Their animated gestures and impressed expressions indicated that her presentation had left a positive impact. Not wanting to interrupt their discussion, Duncan approached the group with a friendly smile and greeted them. The sudden realization of his presence caused a brief pause in their conversation. Acknowledging his arrival, one of them kindly requested him to wait outside the meeting room for a moment. Respecting their request, Duncan agreed and stepped back out into the hallway. As he stood there, slightly taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, his attention was captured by the sight of Karla rushing toward him, clutching some papers. Her hurried footsteps slowed as she reached Duncan, and she greeted him with a mix of surprise and concern. "Why are you here?" she