Violet’s cut in, “Phtui! Sandra, stop playing the victim. You have no right to parade that little bastard as family. If Anna pushed my son, she deserves to be taught a lesson even if she dies for it.”Sandra’s body shook, “That’s enough, Violet! You’re being unreasonable. Is your son so precious and mine just a weed?” Violet’s mouth twisted into a cruel smile. “Shut up,” she snapped. “How can your filthy daughter be compared to my son? He is the Lannister family’s treasure. Your child is the offspring of a madman. Maybe she’ll inherit his sickness. Sooner or later, she’ll leave you.”Boom!The word madman struck Ethan like a bell. Six years ago, to evade pursuit, Ethan disguised himself as a mentally ill and hid in a psychiatric hospital. That mentally ill person is none other himself.Does that mean Anna is his daughter?He shoved past the security guards and rushes toward Sandra.“Sandra! Tell me, is she my daughter?”Sandra looked up slowly, looking at Ethan in bewilderment her ey

The Lannister family hopes that the Mayor himself would finally put an end to the disgrace of that Ethan.When the Mayor finally stepped into the hall, the Mayor cleared his throat and said, in a calm, steady tone, “I am here today to award Mr. Etthan Cross the Certificate of Valor for his outstanding bravery and contribution to this city.”The room erupted in murmurs. One of the Lannisters blinked in disbelief. “Did… did I hear that right? Give him an award?”“An award?” another scoffed under his breath, panic lacing his words.The eldest cousin, Edgar Lannister, shot to his feet, his face flushed with outrage. “Mr. Mayor, with all due respect—surely there’s been a mistake! Ethan’s not… he’s not stable! How could he have acted valiantly? Um, um…”The Mayor furrowed his brow, his gaze turning sharp. “Are you suggesting I have poor insight, Mr. Lannister? Or are you implying that our law enforcement officers are incompetent? That we can’t even recognize bravery when we see it?”Gideon

Ethan had spent the night on the cold doorstep. Before dawn he slipped out and bought a bag of warm fried dough sticks and two cartons of milk. He returned to the iron door where his family slept. The room inside smelled of damp and the faint bleach the public restroom provided; it offered no table, no chairs, nothing that said “home.” So, they carried breakfast out to the nearest park bench and sat close enough to share the small warmth of the meal.Amelia tore into the dough sticks with the fierce gratitude of a child who’d never known abundance. Three sticks vanished in minutes. She downed two small cartons of milk, after eating, “Woo—” she squealed, her cheeks were full. “Mummy, this is the best thing ever. My belly’s so full!” She laughed, the sound so bright Ethan felt like he might break.Sandra watched her with a smile. Ethan’s throat tightened; he wanted to gather them both into his arms and never let go. Instead, he sat very still and pretended the bench was enough.The walk

Henry’s entire body trembled, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his cane. He hadn’t expected Thomas’s attitude to be so firm, so utterly decisive.Why… why was this man so insistent on supporting Sandra?He couldn’t understand it. But now was not the time to question it.Right now, securing that contract meant everything.Forcing a stiff smile, Henry turned toward Thomas, his voice trembling slightly.“Mr. Marcus, there must be some misunderstanding,” he said hurriedly. “Miss Sandra has always been a part of the Lannister family… and an employee of the Lannister Group. She won’t be going anywhere.”Thomas raised an eyebrow, his tone casual but edged with skepticism.“Really? That’s not what I heard. Someone told me Miss Sandra was already fired.”Henry’s smile froze. His face darkened in an instant, and veins bulged along his temple.He turned sharply toward his family, his cane slamming against the marble floor with a resounding crack!“Who the hell dismissed Sandra?!” Henry thund

Half an hour later, after leaving the Lannister building, Ethan and Sandra were seated side by side on a rattling city bus heading toward the outskirts. The ride was long and dusty, the kind that made you question your choices halfway through, but Sandra’s face stayed calm and unreadable. She held the file tightly to her chest as if the paper inside could somehow protect her from what awaited them.The bus stopped in front of a large, fenced compound that sprawled across the horizon like a small town. A rusty signboard hung loosely at the gate: HARROGATE GROUP. Beyond it, a massive factory loomed, surrounded by bulldozers, excavators, and dump trucks lined up like sleeping beasts under the harsh sun.Three security guards lounged under the shade of a mango tree near the entrance, cards spread between them, the clinking sound of bottled drinks mixing with their laughter. They didn’t even look up when Ethan and Sandra approached.Ethan, ever polite, stepped forward. “Hello, please. Is t