Love, Lies and Reckoning

rcles, known as a shameless playboy

ingly innocent woman

ng Mr. Lambert's baby. I beg you.

pped my father of everything, leaving him

t done. You

uch thing as love between my parents. My mother always t

ayboy, spent his days surr

d to one rule, no il

around him came and went, but in public,

mile, he spent an astronomical sum on a unique ruby

roving his so-calle

uction that day. Enraged, she nearly demanded he buy her a s

he two of them argue outside t

e jewelry to make her happy? That

th indifference, then casually set aside

e it. A mistress will always be a mistress. No matter what, she can never b

xt day, that woman was out

o dream of becoming my father's official partn

a fit of anger, sent her away. I imagine sh

secretary appeared

ecretary had a much more innocent air about her. She was li

s Paisley Harrison, a girl

her gaze, carefully placed two cups of freshly brewed coffee

pared under Mr. Lambert's ins

aintly before watching her obediently return to my father'

o sit and rest for a while. But Paisley, looking ner

ou're too kind.

ed the last document

ehind her, my mother and I

o her assistant and instructed them to pass it to P

d to deliver the message myself, sayin

t object. As soon as I got out of th

slightly ajar, and through the frosted glass, I could clearly see Paisley p

your shoulders t

ly curled her lips into a faint smile, as

how could she have known what pastries my mother a

nt to halt certain projects involving the Lambert Group and to throw

directly. Instead, they reported the matter to my father. But my father, ever ca

only business entity that could rival them. And as luck would have it, the Saunders family had only one da

ther's thoughts, nor did anyo

orn into such a family meant she neve

r resources to elevate the Saunders family's bu

family. He lived a life of luxury and indulgence, never needing to restrain his playful

to wealth, but at their core

and me to notice that my father se

Paisley to drink with him and even made inappropr

out one of his teeth, declaring that Paisley

er and I knew he had never jeopardized a business deal f

my father had fallen

ook and continued si

o try something simpler, like green tea,

eriously, but she didn't expect

tones outside our villa, her kn

n she saw us step outside, tears streamed

In order to change her life, she said she had worked hard to come to the city. She

bert's side, to help him when he needs me, to do what little I

expressionless face, as if the s

years, I was used to their provocations. But Pais

u even understa

over and crouched

ndation of equal standing, no matter how much mutual affection there is, it will

stood up and looked down

love that relies solely on material wealth is nothing but a hollow shell, destined to collapse. No one can endlessly give

as she was about to respond, the screech of tires pierced the air. A car came to an abrupt stop in

you think you're trying to

rst startled me. I froze

Paisley up from the ground, his expression softening into one of deep concern. Though his anger was evident

. All she wants is to be with me, nothing more. If she upset you today, I ask you to forgive

to Paisley, who was now clinging tightly to his arm,

ou think about what

a moment's hesitation, she tightened her grip on my father and replied, "

troked Paisley's hair, his face lighting up with satisfaction, as if

from the Lambert estate. My mother watched the car disappear in

ask why she said tho

ly. "That way, when regret finally hits them, they'll understand just how

ther's words proved true so

ley had managed to get he

name to the property deed. The news spread quickly through the business world, and the extravagant ges

ated that he had

day, it wasn't just a lavish present. That gift symbolized the continuous flow of capi

wn away eight hundred million dollars. It was like throwing the m

of preparing to expand into overseas markets and desperately needed that money to stabilize its position.

their efforts

summoned my mother and me to their villa. As soon as we stepped through the front door, we saw

hear pests scurrying around at night. I never imagined that the next day, Mr. Lambert would hand me a property deed and tell me he was giving me a villa. I don't deserve this. I really

and with a warm smile. But when she turned back to Paisley, her demeanor changed in an i

ish act. But don't be too upset, Olivia. Our Lambert family would

eing Paisley kneeling in front of his family, begging and apologizing so desperately, completely devoid of dig

ofa, his face d

other naturally understood his temperament. She wa

as well as I do-if money can fix it, then it's not wort

a satisfied expression, a faint smile quickly replacing his earlier scowl. Ignoring P

ing late. We should

much either. With the help of their as

lose and strode out of the villa with

or remorse in my father's heart for Pai

small sum, but in my mother's eyes,

but there were conditions. My father would need to transfer five percent of his shares to my mother'

twenty percent of the shares gifted to her by the Lambert family when she married into i

ect my father's position

rt family's projects would mean granting them access to internal i

significant matter and should be thoroughly discussed

rd this, she simpl

only right to discu

as not at the company. Instead, he was r

de the villa all night. By the time she was discovered, she

, had been staying by her side at the hospi

y mother's proposal to my father

to manage the company and truste

ctions have unwittingly pl

lass, curling her lips into a

tween your mother and Paisley?" she asked, tur

was because her background and upbri

ok her head a

ce is what separates the winners from the losers. Impul

y. They also took over some of the Lambert family's projects. With the Saunders family's support, the L

wo families, the Lambert family organized a grand ban

hat this was a crucial opportunity to scotch the rumors, restore the

along the ever-controversial Paisley, whose presence was a glarin