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.

arrive at Roberts Villa promptly at six in the morning. 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

Villa in her old car, she noticed a striking red Lamborghini parked at the entrance. The stark contrast between the two cars was

a jealous glance

might be driving

and Andy were already awake without her having to yell at them. It was nothing short

guests today?” she asked naturally as

the guest here?”

emerged from behind the sofa, and

froze in the

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Chapter 281

she stood there for a moment,

address. She lifted her chin arrogantly and seated herself in the central position of

there

feeling she had no right to,

living room, silently

crash breaking the tense silence in the house. Startled, she hurriedly bent down to

someone like this as

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

awful, as if she had done something wrong and ended up in a place where

before coming here, so you guys go ahead.” She forced out an excuse, really not wanting to sit at the

hand for

a child, spooned up his

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

Andy gently, but Molly’s smile froze on her

the same table as the employer’s

previous snobbery, Andy still adored her. Especially when Chloe

she was his biological mother, and no one could change that

When only Molly and Scott remained in the house, Scott set down his newspaper, looked up suddenly,

didn’t immediately respond. After a moment, she then nodded and murmured,

was Andy’s biological mother, and despite their divorce, she still had visitation

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

breakfast,” he said, holding out a box of biscuits.

and didn’t take the cookies

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

just held them without making a move.