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.

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 took his stomach medication after breakfast. She’d clean the floors, wash the dishes, and prepare dinner. Her days were mostly

a striking red Lamborghini parked at the entrance. The stark contrast between

of her car, casting a jealous glance

might be

the door and stepped into the hall, she was surprised to find that both Scott and Andy were

we expecting guests today?” she asked

the guest here?”

figure emerged from behind the sofa, and soon, Chloe’s displeased face appeared in

froze in the doorway.

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Chapter 281

After she stood there for a moment,

arrogantly and seated herself in the central position of the living room sofa, exuding the demeanor

you standing there like an idiot? Go make breakfast!”

argue and feeling she had no

and Andy were in the living

the loud crash breaking the tense silence in the house. Startled, she hurriedly bent down to clean up the shards, accidentally cutting her

could you hire someone like this as a

the living room reached Molly’s cars, making her feel embarrassed. She quickened

was awful, as if she had done something wrong and ended up in a place where she didn’t

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

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

spooned up his string beans, looking

expressed concern that her cooking might upset their stomachs, so he had her “test”

Chloe lectured Andy gently, but Molly’s smile froze on her

as the

when Chloe mentioned taking him

she was his biological mother, and no one

to come and see Andy today.” When only Molly and Scott remained in the house,

moment, she then

know how to respond. Chloe was Andy’s biological mother, and despite

kitchen 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 cleaning.

holding out a box of

stared blankly and didn’t take

on, eat up. You won’t have the energy to work for me if you don’t.” He then

without making a move.