Mag-log inStanley's eyes blazed with anger the moment he heard those words.He lunged forward, jabbing a finger at Tiffany's face as he roared, "What the hell kind of thing is that to say?! He's your brother! Your own flesh and blood! You'd stand there and watch his hand get cut off before you'd pay? Are you even human?""Whether I'm human or not, you decided that more than 20 years ago." Tiffany met Stanley's glare. "If you really cared about him, why didn't you stop him before he got himself into debt?"Her words brought Stanley up short.A beat later, he shouted even louder, "He's your brother! So his debt is mine to pay?"Tiffany remained calm. In an even, measured voice, she asked, "Be honest with yourself. While he was growing up, did you ever teach him what it meant to take responsibility?"The question hit its mark. Stanley's face flushed crimson, and for a moment, he could not find a single word to say.Beside him, Mabel wiped away her tears. "Tiff, please. Do it for your mother'
Raymond spent two days in Norchester, ironing out most of the partnership details with Hugo.Only a few technical issues remained. Their respective technical teams would need to develop concrete proposals before the project could move forward.That evening, Hugo hosted a dinner in Raymond's honor. They ate and talked together.Hugo remained a man of few words, but every so often he tossed out a harmless joke. He seemed far more at ease than he had been when they first met.Halfway through the meal, Raymond's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and immediately stepped away to answer it.Whatever he heard on the other end made his expression turn instantly cold. "Her brother? What has he done this time?"His subordinate braced himself before replying, "He got beaten up again. This time, the creditors went straight to Miss Voss.""Is she all right?" Raymond asked, his eyes hardening. "Didn't I tell you to keep a closer watch on her? How did they get to her house?""I let my gu
When Raymond arrived in Norchester, a light snow was falling."Who's in charge of this project on Jillson Group's side?" Raymond asked from the back seat as he flipped through the project materials his assistant had handed him."Hugo Kingston. Executive Vice President of the Jillson Group and the sole heir to the Jillson family," the assistant replied. "Herbert Jillson, Hugo's grandfather, handled it personally before this. Having Hugo take over now is probably meant to give him some experience."Raymond paused mid-page. "Hugo? The Kingston family's younger son?""That's right."Raymond raised an eyebrow. "All right. Let's meet him first."The Hutton and Kingston families had been close for generations. As a child, Hugo had visited the Hutton estate several times and had always gotten along well with Diana.Raymond, however, did not know him well. He only remembered that the young man had rarely spoken, a complete contrast to the outgoing Leon.The assistant arranged their meet
The next day, Nina was already waiting in the living room when Diana came downstairs.She immediately stepped forward."Ms. Hutton, Leon found out about you having coffee with Mr. Sandhill yesterday."Diana frowned. "How did he find out?"Nina shook her head. "I'm not sure, but the Sandhill family sent word this morning that Leon called them last night. Apparently, his tone was less than polite."Diana's expression turned cold. Leon had used the Kingston family's influence to pressure the Sandhill family. He did not want the divorce, and since he could not move against her directly, he had resorted to these petty tactics behind her back.Diana walked to the window and called Leon.His voice came through, sounding slightly caught off guard. "Diana?""You're in Brimcrest?" she asked."Yes, I'm at the old estate. You—""Are you free at noon?" Diana cut him off. "Let's meet."Leon clearly had not expected her to reach out first. He fell silent for two seconds before answering, "
Callum had an excellent sense of boundaries. He never asked overly personal questions or tried to force familiarity.After a few sips of coffee, he seemed more at ease. He looked at Diana with a calm, steady gaze. "Ms. Hutton, there's something I've thought over carefully, and in the end, I decided you have a right to know."Diana met his eyes. "Go on.""Last night, Mr. Kingston invited my father to dinner, and he brought you up during the meal." Callum's tone remained even, as though he were simply recounting something that had nothing to do with him. "He said the two of you had just had a misunderstanding, that you'd make up soon, and that he hoped the Sandhill family wouldn't interfere."Those last few words held no trace of mockery, only a hint of helplessness.Diana's fingers tightened slightly around her cup, but her expression remained unchanged. "He said that to your father himself?"Callum nodded. "My father called me afterward and told me to use my own judgment. I thoug
Diana's expression remained unchanged. "Let them say whatever they want. There's no need to pay attention.""I'm not afraid of what they say." Elizabeth sighed. "I'm afraid other people will believe it, and it'll delay you from finding your next match.""Grandma, I'm not thinking about that right now." Diana's tone remained even. "There's nothing wrong with being alone."Elizabeth looked at her for a long moment, said nothing more, and gently patted the back of her hand again."All right. As long as you know what you're doing."Diana returned to her room, took a shower, and changed into a silk nightgown.The phone on the table lit up with a new message from Nina.Nina: [Ms. Hutton, the item has been delivered to the Kingston family. Mr. Marvin accepted it personally. He asked me to pass along a message. He said he'd still like to take you to dinner whenever you have time.]There was no reason for Diana to deliver the item to the Kingston family herself on Hugo's behalf, so she







