"Huh?" Sarah jerked at the voice, startled. She turned to see a young man with a kind smile looking down at her. But her mind couldn't register that smile. All she could think was that it was late at night and she was alone. A fragile woman before a man, and one so huge he looked like a mountain. "Please don't hurt me," she begged as fear seized her heart, crawling backward on the ground. "Please." "How pitiful. The great heiress of the Radcliffe family, reduced to this." The man sighed, his smile still on his lips. Sarah was taken aback. "Sir, you know me?" "It's because I do that I've approached you, Miss." Sarah's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat. He knew her? Could he be one of the people they owed, someone who wanted to take their house? Her fear grew, and she scooted backward again. "Sir, I don't know who you are, but I promise we'll move out soon. We can even move out tomorrow. Please don't hurt me. Please." "Miss, I'm here to offer you

"Mom! Samantha! I have good news!""Mom! Samantha!""Come down! I have good news!"Sarah shouted at the top of her voice as she stepped into the house, her face full of smiles and her chest heaving as if it might burst from excitement."Mom!""Samantha!""Damn it, why are you shouting?" a grumpy voice snapped as Samantha came down the steps.Madeline followed behind her. She looked at Sarah, who was practically floating, and frowned in displeasure. "We're getting kicked out tomorrow morning and we're trying to get our last peaceful sleep in a house before we become homeless. Why are you waking everyone up?""Not to mention we didn't even have dinner. I forced myself to sleep to escape the gnawing in my stomach. Whatever your reason for waking us is, it had better be a good one," Samantha added, her voice full of bitterness, the nonchalant, overbearing air she usually carried long gone.Hunger and hardship did that to people, it seemed. Besides, she still couldn't believe they were rea

"Oh, my good cousin, you've finally decided to show yourself. I thought you were going to stay indoors till the year ended." At the Aldridge family villa, Sebastian's jeering remark cut across the air just as a brooding Asher stepped into the conference room. He tilted his head, a mocking smile on his lips. "Why not tell everyone how you ended up embarrassing yourself and the family, not just at the hands of Sheila, but of that punk Robin? Or did you think locking yourself away since you came back from the banquet two days ago would make us forget?" Asher's steps faltered, a vein bulging on his face. The event two days ago has been his first time of tasting defeat and what it meant to get his face slapped. It was a taste he disliked! He shot Sebastian a withering glare but, for the first time, said nothing, choosing to take his seat quietly. But Sebastian didn't seem done. He grinned, taunting, "Oh? Not going to retort today? Please do, brother, I really want to know how you, w

"Father, Uncle is a righteous man. How could he scheme against me, his own nephew? Please sit down and don't make things difficult for him," Asher suddenly said with a casual wave of his hand. He didn't even spare George a glance."Huh?"Eyes widened across the room, everyone stunned. George was standing up for him, making sure he wasn't in harm's way, yet he was dismissing his concern so casually?It was surreal."Haha, you see, George? Even your son knows I have no time for schemes and that I'm a very upright man," Arthur laughed, taking a jab at his brother.But inwardly, he was stunned, then concerned. Was Asher really so stupid that he believed he wouldn't scheme against him? But considering how he had secretly found out that he was the one helping Sebastian all these years, and kept silent, waiting for the right moment to expose it, he was clearly smart.In that case, did it mean he knew he was scheming and had taken countermeasures, or that he simply didn't care? His gaze unint

At Asher's last statement, the whole conference room was plunged into silence.No one had seen that suggestion coming.Cooperate with Shawn Morningstar?That was seeking death, not reprieve!"No, we couldn't possibly do that," Arthur finally said after a brief silence. "Between that devil and the Huttons, I still prefer the Huttons. Since we'd be offering up an arm to get Shawn's cooperation, we might as well give it to the Huttons."Asher shook his head. "In the end, I'm thinking of the family when I make this suggestion, Uncle, you included. Michael Hutton is your peer. Would you be happy to have him lord it over you? I know I couldn't bear it if Roman were lording it over me, so how could you bear it, Uncle? Not to mention that we used to be of the same status. It would be humiliating."Arthur's face fell. Asher was right. He really couldn't bear it! He might just get angry and start fighting Michael right there and then.Seeing that he had hit where it hurt, Asher continued, "But