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

Roberts Villa in her old car, she noticed a striking red Lamborghini parked at the

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

might be driving such

Scott and

asked naturally as she walked in.

the guest

behind the sofa, and

in the

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Chapter 281

there for a moment, she finally broke the

wasn’t pleased with the address. She lifted her chin arrogantly and seated herself in the central position of the living room sofa, exuding the demeanor of a

housemaid, why are you standing there like an idiot? Go

Molly, unwilling to argue and feeling she had no right to, nodded and headed to

in the living room,

remained impassive as she 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

like this as

room reached Molly’s cars, making her feel embarrassed. She quickened her pace, trying to tidy up as fast as she

done something wrong and ended up in a place where she didn’t

guys go ahead.” She forced out an excuse, really not wanting to sit at the table with the

waved his hand for her to go and

with us,” Andy, still a child, spooned up his string beans, looking up at her with

However, Scott had expressed concern that her cooking might upset their stomachs, so he

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

wouldn’t dine at the same table as the employer’s family. It seemed

adored her. Especially when Chloe mentioned

was his biological mother, and no one could change that

see Andy today.” When only Molly and Scott remained in the house, Scott set down his newspaper, looked up suddenly, and spoke to

moment, she then nodded and murmured,

truth, she didn’t know how to respond. Chloe was Andy’s biological mother, and despite their divorce, she

fetched a bucket and mop from the utility room. When Scott emerged from his study again, he saw her

said, holding out a box of biscuits.

and didn’t take the cookies

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

them without