The comparison between her and Derek, where Derek was painted as the ambitious and successful one, while she was relegated to the role of a stubborn and capricious daughter, was a bitter pill to swallow.The crushing realization that her father and Derek saw her as a failure, despite her tireless efforts, was heart-wrenching. It felt as though all her hard work was being dismissed in favor of Derek’s manipulative success. The sight of Derek’s smug satisfaction, his demeanor radiating triumph, only intensified her sense of betrayal.Lily’s heart felt heavy with a mix of anger, sadness, and frustration. The weight of her father’s misplaced faith in Derek, combined with the pain of being unfairly judged, was almost unbearable. As Derek stood there, basking in the approval he had so deceitfully earned, Lily was left grappling with the reality of her shattered dreams and the painful recognition that her father’s trust had been misplaced in the very person who had stolen her hard-earned su

"Thank you, Dad. I’ll make sure to live up to those expectations. It’s always been my goal to prove that hard work and focus pay off. And well… some of us just need a bit more time to figure things out," he said, his words aimed directly at Lily, the jab unmistakable.Lily’s teeth ground together as she fought to keep her composure. His words stung like poison, each one a reminder of how he’d stolen her thunder, how he had deceived everyone and made her look like a failure. She seethed inside, her fury bubbling over, but she forced herself to keep her expression neutral. She had to. If she lashed out now, it would only make her look petty, jealous, like she was the antagonist in her own family. And worse, it would give Derek exactly what he wanted—a chance to bask in her defeat.Despite everything, Lily held on to a sliver of hope. She didn’t know how, but she had to find a way to prove them all wrong, to reclaim what was rightfully hers. Even as the congratulations and accolades co

Lily’s nails dug into her palms as she clenched her fists tighter, fighting to hold back the tidal wave of emotions. The sheer injustice of it all burned inside her, but she knew better than to give Derek the satisfaction of seeing her crumble.Robert, unwilling to be silenced, felt his heart twist at the sight of Lily’s frustration and misery. Seeing her like this ignited a burning resolve inside him. He was determined to expose Derek’s lies, no matter what it took. With gritted teeth, his voice laced with frustration, Robert finally spoke up. “Fine,” he spat, his tone sharp, “if that’s how you all want to play the game. No problem. Just wait and see—Lily and I will prove you all wrong, and you’ll see Derek for the fraud he is.”His words lingered in the air like a storm on the horizon, tension rising in the room. Robert turned sharply, his movements purposeful as he gestured for Lily to follow him. She hesitated, her eyes flitting between her father, mother, and Derek’s smug face,

Mr. Hartley’s face flushed with anger as he struggled to process the astronomical figure in the bank statement. He turned back to his wife, his voice low but shaking with fury. “You’re telling me you had nothing to do with this?” Mrs. Hartley, trying to calm herself, shook her head adamantly. “I don’t know how it happened. “I didn’t spend that money.”He paced the room, his frustration mounting. “Then why were you trying to hide it?” he demanded. “If you didn’t have anything to do with it, why hide the email from me? What are you keeping from me?”“I just... I didn’t want to stress you out,” she replied, her voice wavering. “You’ve been so busy with the conference, and I didn’t want to distract you. I was trying to save you from unnecessary stress.”Her words did nothing to soothe him. Instead, they only fanned the flames of his suspicion. “Save me from stress? By hiding an eight-million-dollar expense?” His voice rose, his temper flaring. “Do you think I’m an idiot, Miranda? Do you h

Tears welled up in Lily’s eyes as she shook her head furiously. “Dad, please, I didn’t do this! You know me, I would never... I don’t know how my name is there, but I swear, it wasn’t me. You have to believe me!”Mr. Hartley’s gaze was cold, unmoved by her pleas. “The evidence is right here, Lily. How can I believe you when everything points to you?”Lily’s voice cracked as she fought back sobs. “Please, Dad, you have to trust me. I would never touch that kind of money without your permission. I don’t know how my name got involved, but it wasn’t me!”She was on the verge of tears, her heart breaking not just from the accusation but from the realization that her father didn’t believe her.Derek, standing off to the side, saw an opportunity and seized it, his smirk barely concealed. “Oh, come on, Lily. Just admit it. You’re a thief, plain and simple.Always acting like you’re so righteous, but here you are, caught red-handed. You couldn’t handle the pressure of being a failure, so you st