Crossroads

Chapter 281

Stephanie woke up with a sneeze.

She had dawdled until midnight the previous night before finally falling asleep. Just as the morning sun was barely making its appearance, her phone began buzzing incessantly with messages from the Innovate Group’s staff, reminding her to be at the airport on time. Today, she and three other models were scheduled to fly to Harlington for a photoshoot.

ང་ཧ་ཨཱཇཅ་༠ 。:

Clutching her phone, Stephanie was taken aback. She had genuinely forgotten about this.

“Okay,” With her characteristic sluggishness in the morning, she mumbled an acknowledgment and obediently went to brush her teeth.

“Stephanie, are you coming down with a cold?”

To her credit, before leaving, she remembered to call Molly. Perhaps it was her slightly nasal voice that prompted Molly’s concern.

“I’m on my way to the airport now. Looks like I’ll be staying in Harlington for three days.”

Seated in the taxi, Stephanie complained while on the phone, “Vincent is so afraid I’ll get fired that he had someone wake me up before dawn.

“Wait, the Innovate Group’s staff doesn’t fall under Vincent’s management, right? Does the Innovate Group provide wake–up services?”

With her mind still a bit foggy, Stephanie sneezed again, grabbing a tissue to cover her nose. The wake–up call matter seemed not worth pursuing further.

“Damn it, Stephanie! You said you were going to eat and drink your fill. Did you know Dominick didn’t attend the banquet, so you ran off too? You heartless…” Molly’s voice from the phone was filled with resentment.

Dominick didn’t go to the banquet either?

Just hearing that name put Stephanie in a bad mood.

“Hey, what were you up to last night, getting yourself sick? Will it affect your shoot?” Molly’s tone softened, worrying about her friend.

“I spent the night on the balcony in the cold wind…” Stephanie recalled the foolish things she had done last night, her voice trailing off. “I suspect the tenant in Unit 502 upstairs is someone I know.”

“What’s with Unit 502?”

“Never mind.” Stephanie’s expression became complicated; she didn’t want to talk about this.

“Oh, by the way, Oscar told me you were with Scott last night. Did he drive you home?”

Now, it was Molly’s turn to avoid the topic. She stiffened, answering, “Yes, we came back early.”

The two women, each preoccupied with their own thoughts, ended the call as Stephanie informed Molly that she was almost at the airport. Molly, with her innate caretaker instincts, reminded her once again to stay safe before hanging up.

Her busy day often began with preparing breakfast for Scott and Andy, rousing them from bed. She would then send Andy off to school and ensured Scott took his stomach medication after breakfast. She’d clean the floors, wash the

noticed a striking red Lamborghini parked at the entrance. The stark

casting a jealous glance at the new sports car beside her.

wondered who might be driving such a vehicle.

into the hall, she was surprised to find that both Scott and Andy were already awake without her having to yell at them.

we expecting guests today?” she asked naturally as she

guest here?”

emerged from behind the sofa, and soon, Chloe’s

in the

1/8

Chapter 281

for a moment, she finally broke the silence.

and seated herself in the central position of the

there

commanding. Molly, unwilling to argue and feeling she had no right

and Andy were in the living room, silently observing the

went about her routine of making toasts and salads for them. Suddenly, she dropped a plate, the loud crash breaking the tense silence in the house. Startled, she hurriedly bent down to

could you hire someone like this

feel embarrassed. She quickened her pace, trying to tidy up

and ended up in a place where she didn’t belong, feeling utterly

agonizing for Molly. “I’ve already eaten before coming here, so you guys go ahead.” She forced out an excuse, really not wanting to

nothing, merely waved his hand for her to go and do something

a child, spooned up his string beans, looking up at her with

their stomachs, so he had her “test” the food first. Eventually, somehow, her relationship with the father–son duo had grown closer

eat at the same table as the employer’s family?” Chloe lectured Andy gently, but Molly’s smile froze on her face, unable to keep up with

as the employer’s family. It seemed she had

that despite Chloe’s previous snobbery, Andy still adored her. Especially when Chloe mentioned

mother, and no one could

and Scott remained in the house, Scott set

respond. After a moment, she then

she didn’t know how to respond. Chloe was Andy’s biological mother,

to tidy up. Later, she fetched a bucket and mop from the utility room. When Scott emerged from his study again, he saw her wearing gloves, a scarf, and even a work cap, as if she were about to tackle a year’s worth of

said, holding out a box of

stared blankly and didn’t take the

have the energy to work for me if you don’t.” He then pressed the cookies into

them without