Mr Lucas looked at Glenn with a questioning gaze. Xavier and Hazel did the same.As noon arrived, people began bustling in, the buzz of conversations echoing from the cafeteria below."This guy," Mr Lucas patted Xavier's shoulder."He's the hardest working young man I've known, with a visionary mission far ahead. He doesn't see his current limits as stumbling blocks; moreover, he's sharp," Mr Lucas explained.Xavier seemed flattered by the praise.For some reason, Glenn sensed a hint of sarcasm in Mr Lucas's words directed at him.He remembered that Glenn, in the past, was known for his laziness and a lack of interest in business, happily squandering his family's money on luxury items.It seemed Mr Lucas still thought of him that way.Just as he was about to speak, to contradict Mr Lucas if he had changed, he caught the warm interaction between Mr Lucas, Xavier, and Hazel.Glenn fell silent, especially when Hazel smiled at Xavier.He immediately felt out of place and time.He knew def
"Father, I'll head back to my room," Glenn bid his father farewell.The elderly man resumed poring over the documents before him, deeply concentrating."Hm..." the father replied briefly.Glenn glanced at his phone screen again, typing and deleting the reply he intended to send multiple times.Once in his room, he lay on the bed and started typing a response, a smile lingering on his face since a while ago.He was busy plotting a prank on Amber. Shaking his head in disbelief, he couldn't fathom how shameless she could be.[You're right; I've gone too far. How can I make it up to you?] Glenn typed and sent it.[I'm hungry,] came Amber's brief reply.Glenn understood the underlying meaning behind Amber's message; years of living with her had familiarised him with her implied meanings.[I'll order food for you in a bit; wait,] he replied.[Wait! Send it to this address and order for five portions.] Amber quickly responded.Glenn furrowed his brow upon seeing the address Amber sent; he kn
A growl in her stomach forced Amber to wake up with a groan. Dazzling Sunbeams pierced through her window curtains and shone on her cheeks.Something soft stirred near her nostrils, reluctantly compelling her to open her eyes and see some creatures crawl before her eyes.She had never seen such a creature, prompting her to reflexively scream and leap out of bed."Aargh!!"Her voice echoed, especially when one of the red, furless pinkie mice was stepped on by her foot. Amber leapt, attempting to open the door, only to find it locked."Help!! Let me out!!" she pleaded while pounding with all her might.*Squeak*Something moved beneath her clothes, and Amber screamed even louder in panic. She tried to rid herself of the pinkie mice inside her clothing and flung it to the floor, shuddering in horror."Ms Eugene!! Open the door!!" she commanded.Outside, the servants who had been bustling about exchanged glances, awaiting Ms Eugene's reaction, who, seemingly undisturbed.The woman was tast
As noon arrived, unlike usual, the servants gathered in the kitchen, betting on whether Amber would last till the end or give up. Nearly all agreed she'd give up even before the tenth bucket.The distance from that old well to the storage was almost 200 meters away, not to mention she had to climb those high, steep stairs afterwards to pour water from the bucket she carried.Amber, who managed to fill one bucket from the pulley, smiled contentedly, then carried the heavy 7-litre bucket towards the storage.Halfway there, her hands felt sore. The water she carried spilled a lot along the way due to her unstable movements. Not to mention, when she reached below the storage, her brows furrowed, seeing the steep ladder she had to climb to pour the water into the storage tank.On the third step, her shoe slipped.*Splash*"CRAP!" she cursed loudly as the water she had painstakingly carried spilled everywhere."HAHAHA," laughter echoed from inside the house, reaching Amber's ears.With a si
*Knock**Knock*Two knocks on the door made Glenn lift his head from the tablet screen he was holding. "Come in," he commanded, placing the tablet beside him as he relaxed in a chair, crossing his legs.Amber entered, her expression unreadable as she gazed at Glenn's face. "What do you want?" she asked, adopting a defensive stance even before Glenn spoke.Glenn folded his arms, observing Amber's still arrogant demeanor despite everything that had happened to her. He admired how she could still hold her head high in front of him.He reaffirmed his feelings, realizing he felt nothing in his heart for her anymore except anger and disgust. He didn't want to be involved with Amber any longer.He wished to conclude their meetings, hoping their paths would never cross again."Leave my house. I don't want to see you again. This is your payment for the two days here," Glenn tossed five $100 bills for Amber onto the small table in front of him.After saying that, Glenn picked up his tablet, int
Glenn held both of Amber's hands as she attempted to scratch him; she went wild, seemingly losing her mind."So, it's true that you're the one who made them get evicted from the apartment! Heartless man! How could you do that to them because of your jealousy!" yelled Amber angrily at Glenn.She was furious to discover how petty Glenn could be. All she had asked for was some food, yet he callously made Jason and his family move out of the flat.There were so many memories she had shared with Jason there, beautiful moments they had together, spending days loving each other in every corner of the flat. Glenn had robbed her of those sweet memories!This stupid man wasn't just foolish and ugly but also cruel!Meanwhile, Glenn chuckled at Amber's accusations. "Me... jealous? Of you and that poor guy?"Glenn shook his head in disbelief, unable to find the words to respond to Amber. Somehow, he felt that any words would be in vain, and he didn't want to waste more energy dealing with her."Wh
Aunt Dolores's hand was still sternly outstretched. Amber, who had thought about slipping three bills into her skirt pocket, finally gave up. Her aunt wouldn’t be fooled. She was a cunning woman.Amber sighed before handing over the money to her aunt, who quickly grabbed it and eagerly counted. When her fingers reached the fifth bill, she seemed disappointed."Is this all? What do you take me for, a homeless shelter?" she snapped at Amber, getting too close, and some of her spit hit Amber's face, making her step back.With a lazy attitude, Amber replied to her aunt, "Relax, I'll add more later. For now, let me in. I need rest and, of course, an explanation from you," Amber demanded, hoping for answers about her parents."Get a job right after this. I won’t support you willingly, bitch," Aunt Dolores ordered.Rolling her eyes, Amber passed her aunt, who looked at the five bills in her hand with evident enthusiasm. Inside the house was no better than outside.The wallpaper was almost en
"What was that for?” Ingrid pushed Glenn, then helped Jason to stand up.Others started whispering around Glenn, questioning why he suddenly acted rough. His friends then led him away from the spotlight, asking about his condition, getting him a drink, and trying to get his attention again, but he felt disinterested.Someone suddenly approached him with a forced smile, worsening Glenn's mood.“Sir, Glenn, I have a proposal for you to improve the company's value; considering the rapid internet growth, I feel—" Xavier's words were cut off by Glenn's gesture.“Sorry, but I don't think this is the right time. Can't you read the atmosphere?” Glenn asked sharply.His female friends laughed upon hearing Glenn's response to Xavier. Xavier's awkward smile immediately faded, and Glenn could see the man's expression darken; without permission, Xavier left his sight. Glenn breathed a sigh of relief.“That's creepy,” his comment was met by her female friends, who didn't leave Glenn's side all nigh
As time passed, Glenn and Hazel enjoyed peaceful days while awaiting the birth of their baby. In the month of their baby’s due date, Glenn received the surprising news that Yvonne and Victor were getting married. “Glenn, hurry up!” Hazel hurriedly put on her earrings as they were almost late for Victor and Yvonne’s wedding ceremony. Glenn quickly grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and hugged Hazel from behind. Seeing Hazel with her big belly made him fall in love with her even more. “Not now,” Hazel grumbled, annoyed. The more Hazel was irritable, the more Glenn enjoyed teasing her. They stepped out of the house and got into the car. Glenn drove at a moderate speed, occasionally reaching for Hazel’s hand and kissing it gently. Hazel felt incredibly happy, showered with love from her husband. When they arrived at the church, the doors were almost closing as the ceremony was about to begin. Glenn and Hazel entered, accompanied by the quiet laughter of the attendees. They
“Mei!” Hazel immediately hugged her friend, whom she hadn't seen for months.Mr. Zhang’s daughter had decided to visit Hazel in Eagertown after the situation in Yuhan had stabilized. She brought a lot of gifts for Hazel, thinking Hazel would want to try some unique treats from Yuhan.“Sorry I came so late, I’ve been incredibly busy in Yuhan,” Mei said.“It’s okay. I know you had a lot to take care of.”They walked through the corridor and into the living room. Glenn, who had just come out of his office, joined them. They all sat comfortably on the sofa.“How does it feel to be expecting a baby?” Mei asked with a giggle.Hazel was due in four months. Time had flown by, and her belly was already showing significantly.“I feel ugly,” Hazel complained.“Ugly? You look so beautiful, Hazel. I’m even jealous of you,” Mei replied. “Being a mother is a privilege not every woman gets.”“I don’t know… I feel so emotionally unstable.” Hazel pouted.Glenn reached for Hazel’s shoulder and hugged he
The effects of the COVID-19 virus had completely vanished in Eagertown, and everyone had returned to their normal activities without worry. Glenn’s company had become more renowned, producing vaccines not only for COVID-19 but for other diseases as well. Glenn was very busy, but he always made time for Hazel.Glenn had just left the hospital after accompanying Hazel for a pregnancy checkup, when they happened to run into Beatrice. Apparently, Beatrice had just arrived there.“Mrs. Zimmerman, what are you doing here? Are you sick?” Hazel asked.“Oh, I’m not sick, Hazel. I have a meeting with some doctors here to discuss sending medical aid to remote areas in Latin America.” Beatrice chuckled softly.“You’re really busy,” commented Glenn. “Take care of your health, Mrs. Zimmerman.”Beatrice nodded. “Thank you for your concern, Glenn.”Then she continued, “Since I happened to run into you here, Glenn, there’s something I’d like to talk about. I need your help.”Glenn was momentarily tak
“Where’s Glenn?” Yvonne asked as she and Victor approached Hazel, who was already sitting and waiting at the café where they had arranged to meet.“He’s taking Sean and his grandmother to Ms. Eugene’s place.”Yvonne only nodded briefly, then took a seat. Victor immediately started flipping through the menu, feeling very hungry.“They’re going to stay there? It seems Eagertown isn’t suitable for Sean,” Victor commented.Hazel sighed softly. “It might be too noisy here.”“Some people just don’t feel comfortable living in the city, Hazel. It doesn’t mean they don’t like being with you.”“I know.” Hazel only nodded wearily.Hazel felt dizzy and her stomach was uneasy, but she forced herself to meet Yvonne and Victor because she wanted to discuss the charity. Yvonne was going to provide a report on the funds that had been allocated and where they had been sent, including to Ms. Eugene’s place.However, Hazel didn’t want to talk about that at all; she just wanted to lie down in bed.“Hazel?
The atmosphere there was busy, as everyone was hard at work building the town. Glenn got out of the car along with Sean and Grandma Mari. As Glenn expected, it seemed that Sean and the grandmother were immediately captivated. Both of them looked at Glenn.“This is a very nice place, Glenn,” praised Sean.From the crowd, Ms. Eugene emerged with a wide smile. She immediately greeted Glenn, Sean, and Grandma Mari.“This must be Sean and Grandma Mari,” nodded Ms. Eugene. “Mr. Glenn has called me, and I am really delighted if you want to stay here.”Grandma Mari agreed. “Of course. I feel at home already.”“You can look around if you like,” offered Ms. Eugene.Sean and the grandmother held hands, and they soon mingled with the people busy at work. Meanwhile, Glenn and Ms. Eugene watched over the bustling activity.“You’re very busy here?” asked Glenn.Ms. Eugene chuckled. “We got a lot of help from Mrs. Zimmerman’s charity and Miss Yvonne.”“Oh, really?”It turned out that the charity ment
A week after Mason's funeral, Beatrice visited Glenn's office. According to Mason's mandate, the company acquired by Glenn would still provide Beatrice with the remaining funds. It was no small amount since Glenn had bought Mason’s company at a fair price.Beatrice had signed the documents and handed them to Glenn. She looked very composed, though her heart had been broken twice after losing Mason forever.“It’s all done, Glenn. Thank you for your cooperation,” Beatrice said.“Once again, my deepest condolences, Mrs. Zimmerman.”A faint smile appeared on Beatrice’s lips. “What happened to Mason did break my heart. But in the end, he tried to be a good person, and I am still proud of him.”There was a light in Beatrice’s eyes, indicating she had come to terms with everything. Even when Mason returned, he was the Mason she had once known.“He will be remembered as a good man. I will make sure of that,” Glenn nodded.“Thank you, you are very kind.”“So, what are your plans moving forwa
Eleanor brought a cup of hot coffee, and though she had changed her clothes, her face still looked disheveled. She smiled sweetly as she placed the coffee on the table, then sat next to Mason. She tried to touch him, but Mason gently moved her hand to the sofa.“Once again, I’m sorry, Eleanor. But I can’t continue our relationship,” Mason said.“You’re going back to Beatrice, aren’t you?”“No. But we’ve made peace, and I know she doesn’t want me anymore.”“Then why? Why are you going back to her?” Eleanor asked, her eyes sad. “Stay here with me.”Mason gave a faint smile, his face looking sorrowful. He felt like the most despicable person in the world, having hurt both Beatrice and now Eleanor. They both deserved happiness, something Mason couldn’t offer.When Beatrice decided to keep their relationship as friends for now, Mason accepted it. He felt he had to be fair, which meant Eleanor also needed to find her own happiness.“You need to find your own happiness, Eleanor.” Mason kisse
Mason and Beatrice's arrival at Glenn's office caused quite a stir, as no one expected the former rival to show up there. Beatrice, looking calm, went to see Irina and Hazel, who happened to be in Glenn's office. Meanwhile, Mason headed straight for the elevator.Hazel, Irina, and Beatrice gathered in the meeting room. Irina and Hazel seemed eager to hear what had brought Beatrice and Mason together to Glenn’s office.“Did you make up?” Irina asked.Beatrice nodded. “As friends, I think. I can’t just accept Mason’s feelings, I don’t know… I don’t want to force myself.”“Yes, of course, Mrs. Zimmerman. Even though you're his wife, you have the right to find your own happiness. If it’s better to be friends, then that’s what you should do. But if your feelings say otherwise...” Hazel began, but Irina interrupted her.“No! Don’t go back to him. I can’t imagine it. Just stay friends, Beatrice,” Irina said firmly.Beatrice chuckled. “Yes, I’ll just follow wherever our story leads.”“He cam
The foggy memories slowly became clearer as Mason stepped onto the porch of the house he had long abandoned. Dark thoughts crept into his mind—if he knocked on the door, would he be welcomed? Or would everything be different?Mason took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell of the seemingly deserted house.Several minutes passed, and Mason continued to stand there, waiting. Finally, the front door opened, and Beatrice appeared. Despite looking older, her face was bright. She had found her own peace.However, the arrival of Mason seemed to shatter that peace instantly.“Mason?” Beatrice looked at him in disbelief.“I’d like to talk to you, Bea. May I? That is, if you’re willing.”Beatrice’s eyes remained fixed on Mason’s pitiful figure. Whatever had happened, something terrible must have hit Mason hard. Was this something Beatrice should celebrate?Regardless of Mason’s current troubles, maybe he had fought with Eleanor and decided to come back home.Beatrice’s ego raged inside her. A