In Love, Never Say Never

In Love, Never Say Never Chapter 1256-1257-1258-1259-1260

In Love, Never Say Never Chapter 1256-1257-1258-1259-1260

As these thoughts crossed my mind, I couldn’t help but stare at my babies in the stroller. The pain in my heart intensified.

I wasn’t scared of death itself, but the thought of its imminent approach frightened me because it meant that I wouldn’t be able to watch my children grow.

If only God could hear my prayers and just give me a couple more years to live.

Since the kidnapping of his child, John had upgraded the security system in his home. He ran extensive background checks on all of his staff, making sure that strangers could not infiltrate the Stovall residence again. This way, everyone in the house could finally let down their guard.

A week after my return, I caught wind that Rose had given birth. Since Nick and Rose had always treated me like their older sister, I knew I had to visit her.

Emma tagged along on my visit to the hospital.

“The baby’s so pretty. He looks just like you.” Rose’s son was born after a nine-month-long pregnancy, and he appeared much healthier than my twins. I was genuinely pleased for her.

“Thank you,” Rose rasped weakly as she sat against the headboard. She was being tended by an older lady who appeared to be the Harrisons’ maid.

“Is Nick still busy with work?” I asked.

Rose lowered her head as she bit her lips in acquiescence.

This seemed to invoke the anger of Rose’s caretaker. She snapped, “No matter how busy he was, he should at least be there when his wife is giving birth. Mr. Harrison’s really too much.”

“Margaret…” Rose interrupted Margaret’s rants to no avail.

“You know I’m right. Mr. Harrison took one look at the baby and hasn’t come by again since. He didn’t even arrange for someone to take care of you after the delivery and you had to beg me for help. Why must you speak up for Mr. Harrison when he’s mistreating you like this? I watched you grow up, my dear… I can’t let them bully you like this!”

It almost seemed as if she might add me to her rants as well.

Nick had always been an organized person, so I couldn’t believe how careless he was when it came to Rose’s delivery. He really crossed the line this time.

“Rose, is she telling the truth? That Nick is neglecting you and your son for his work?” I’ve always had a great impression of Rose, so I was on her side in this ordeal. At the same time, I wanted to clarify some misconceptions in case I got the wrong idea about the situation.

“No, of course not.” Rose gave me a weak smile before continuing, “Margaret just misunderstood the situation. She’s been taking care of me since I was young, and I would feel uncomfortable if I had to deal with another stranger. That’s why I brought her here from the Walker residence. It has nothing to do with Nick.”

“Mrs. Harrison…” Margaret appeared to have more to say, but she zipped her lips under Rose’s stern glare.

“Scarlett, let’s not talk about me. What about you? I heard you gave birth to a pair of twins! I’m so jealous right now.”

It was obvious that she was trying to change the topic. Since Rose didn’t want to talk about Nick anymore, I followed her lead and progressed to safer topics.

As I was waiting for the elevator after leaving Rose’s ward, I heard a visible sigh from Emma.

“What are you sighing about?” I asked with a laugh.

“Can’t I sigh? I just think that being a woman is a tough job,” Emma explained.

“Why do you say that, Mrs. Stovall?” I teased her as we entered the elevator.

Emma and John’s relationship was still on tenterhooks. As such, she was always surprised whenever she was addressed as Mrs. Stovall.

As I Mrs. Bauman expected, her easygoing demeanor disappeared into a frown at my words. “Mrs. Fuller, can you drop that title?”

I laughed as I pressed the button on the elevator. “I didn’t know you’d be so easy to tease.”

“Fine, don’t say I didn’t warn you, I won’t hang out with you anymore.” Emma made a gesture of turning her head away.

“Ok, ok, I won’t joke at your expense anymore. Come on, at least tell me why you don’t want to be known as Mrs. Stovall?” I rearranged my face into a serious expression before asking my question.

“Why wouldn’t I mind? Just look at Rose. Nick obviously dumped her but she’s still defending him. It’s almost as if our only job as women is to satisfy a man’s wishes. What a tiring way to live.” Emma sighed.

I didn’t agree with her statement. “To be fair, what if Nick’s really stuck in an impossible situation at work? Rose’s only making excuses for Nick because she loves him. I don’t think it’s a matter of men or women at all. It’s being in love that’s exhausting.”

In love, never say never chapter 1257

This seemed to strike a chord with Emma. She remained in silent contemplation for the entire duration of our elevator ride.

“Hey Emma, we’re here.” She jolted from her thoughts at my gentle reminder, and she left the elevator in a jog.

“Thanks for the reminder. I almost got caught between the doors.” Emma patted her chest in relief before she suggested, “Since we haven’t been out in a while, shall we go shopping? We can visit the mall.”

I remembered Summer’s pleas for some new stationery, and I agreed. Women were born shopaholics. The impulse to shop sustained itself on the never-ending introduction of newer products to the market.

I had initially planned on visiting the kids’ section, but Emma had different ideas. She dragged me into a luxury goods store once we reached the mall. She tried on no fewer than ten outfits but wasn’t impressed by any of them.

“This set looks good. John would like it.” Bored, I decided to tease her a little.

“I didn’t say I was wearing this for him.” Her lips had hardened into a flat line, but she was obviously checking herself out in the mirror. I could tell from her eyes that she was imagining John’s amazement at her appearance.

Women will always doll themselves up for men that they love. I guess this saying holds even now.

I smiled to myself but didn’t call her out on her behavior. I walked to the men’s section.

Ashton was now in the upper echelons of K City society, but his stylists couldn’t keep up with his image requirements. They always dressed him in formal suits. While his build and features could easily carry off such a get-up, it made him seem stiff and unapproachable.

I took a turn around the men’s section but nothing caught my eye. Just as I was thinking about hiring a dedicated fashion designer for Ashton, I spied an impressive sample display in the distance. I picked up my pace as I walked toward the display in excitement.

Just then, the phone in my purse began ringing. I stopped as I rummaged for my phone. The number seemed familiar, but I couldn’t recall who the caller was at that very moment.

When I lifted my head again, I saw an elegant-looking lady summoning a salesperson to help her pack up the outfit I had had my eyes on.

Oh well, I guess I was just a bit too late.

I answered the call in a fit of impatience. “Hello, who is this?”

“Ms. Stovall, it’s me.” Zander’s Koandrian accent gave his identity away.

His call reminded me of the apprenticeship. “I’m sorry I haven’t called you back. I’ve been busy lately, so I forgot all about the apprenticeship.”

“That’s ok. I’m calling you now to remind you about it. I hope you didn’t forget how I made a grand promise to my superiors to keep a precious talent in our apprenticeship program. They even agreed to keep your slot even though you would be going on maternity leave. Please don’t tell me you’re backing out now?”

I could tell that his goodwill was a front for his urgent hope of my confirmation.

Since becoming a lawyer was my lifelong dream, I chose not to call him out on his attitude. I confirmed my participation as well as the reporting time and date for my apprenticeship.

After I hung up, I thought back to the outfit I had seen, feeling a tinge of regret at the missed opportunity.

I walked toward the cashier in a poor mood, curious about the person who had snagged such a great outfit.

When I saw the couple paying for the outfit, though, my heart sank.

Emma had just come over as well, and her eyes followed my gaze. “What are you looking at?”

When she saw them, her reaction was stronger than mine. She took in a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

Our eyes followed Hunter in utter disbelief as he entered the elevator, holding hands with a mysterious lady as he held a large shopping bag in his other hand.

Under our watchful gaze, it seemed that Hunter felt a twinge of guilt at his actions. By chance, he glanced in our direction and met our stares. Awkwardness flashed across his features before the elevator doors closed.

“Letty, please pinch me and wake me up from this nightmare. I must be seeing things, right?” Emma’s jaw had dropped at the scene.

I frowned, my emotions a chaotic mess.

Emery and Hunter’s relationship had always been the envy of many. Emma herself was always going on and on about Hunter’s penchant for romance and humor. What we had seen today was a huge blow to her fantasies.

In love, never say never chapter 1258

Maybe I should be reflecting on my taste in clothes. If Ashton’s wearing the same suit as Hunter, might we be in a similar situation ourselves?

I had always thought that keeping secrets from someone was nowhere near as difficult as pretending nothing was wrong in front of them.

Emery’s attention had been consumed by Audrey and Gregory these few days. She brought Xavier along with her on her daily visits, and she typically spent an entire day at our house. Before Emma and I had even left the mall, we were bombarded by a slew of WhatsApp messages from her, urging us to go back.

Emma and I were terrible liars. We exchanged looks and prepared to stay out until it was late.

We had only just settled down in a cafe when Hunter showed up.

He found us easily thanks to his towering height. He then started walking toward us.

Emma gave up her seat and sat on a chair directly next to mine.

The cheating men that I had encountered in the past typically behaved in a stiff, panicky, or furious manner. I had never seen one as calm as Hunter.

He sat opposite us, exuding the confident and cultured charm of a university professor. His courteous exchange with the waiter almost made our meeting seem like a casual get-together rather than a damage control session for our awkward encounter.

I guess we were all fooled by his polite manners.

Once the coffee was served, Hunter looked at the cup for a moment before lifting his gaze to us. Upon seeing my impatient gaze, he spoke sheepishly. “You saw everything just now.”

We didn’t ask any questions.

Hunter sighed before taking a sip of his coffee. He stared directly at me and said, “I’ll talk to Emery about this, so I hope you won’t intervene.”

“When are you going to tell her?” I asked calmly.

He took a deep breath and adjusted his glasses. He answered resignedly, “Soon.”

“Good. I hope you keep your promise, Professor Zane, or you’ll lose whatever little respect we have for you.”

He had pushed his glasses up his nose bridge countless times in the past, but the action merely disgusted me now. I placed a few bills on the table to cover the cost of our drinks and left with Emma.

On the way home, my emotions were in turmoil.

From what I could see, I couldn’t understand how that woman was better than Emery. Yet this had happened.

Maybe in the world of the literati, love is but a cheap commodity to be discarded once it has run its course.

We reached home at about seven at night. We thought Emery had left, but there was a hubbub in the living room when we walked in. Louis was here.

“Mommy, let’s eat dinner!” Summer ran toward me and dragged me toward the dining room.

I exchanged a look with Emma before we sat down at the dining table.

Emery happened to be seated on my other side. She nudged my elbow gently and asked, “Where did you two go? You didn’t reply to my WhatsApp messages either. Was there an emergency?”

“I’ll tell you about it later.” I glossed over her question, pretending I couldn’t talk about it openly in front of the others.

Emery had always been an easygoing person to begin with, so she dropped the topic good-naturedly.

Clink!

Louis suddenly tapped on his wineglass with a fork, catching our attention. novelbin

“The incident this time has taught me many valuable lessons!” Louis was the picture of a natural leader as he raised his voice before continuing, “Most importantly, I’ve learned that steering clear of others doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll remain unscathed. I’ve always been proud of my morals, yet I never expected to be a victim of sabotage, let alone dragging my own grandchildren into this mess. I’ve disappointed my own family and the Stovall name.”

He shot me a regretful look before he continued in better spirits, “From this day on, I promise not to put my family in harm’s way again. I vow to spend the rest of my days getting rid of Ezra’s syndicate!”

On the first day of my apprenticeship, John insisted on sending me to the office.

In love, never say never chapter 1259

The car stopped in front of the office. I took off my seatbelt and was about to alight from the car when John shouted, “Don’t move!”

He then exited the car and came around to my side. Opening the door in a valet-like fashion, he completed his act by offering his hand to assist me out of the car. He teased, “Ms. Stovall, we’ve arrived at the office. Please.”

I burst into laughter as I laid my hand in his. “Why are you joking around? I’m just a legal apprentice, not a full-fledged lawyer.”

Passing the lawyer qualification exam was only the start. I also needed to undertake a year-long apprenticeship to obtain a license to practice. Within this year, I would need to complete ten cases independently as well. Only then I could officially practice law.

“You’ll be one soon enough. I need to start practicing now,” John teased playfully.

“If you’re that bored, you should spend more time with Emma. I don’t know why you’re playing games with her when you’re obviously crazy about her,” I deadpanned.

John arched a brow at me before stuttering, “Y-You… Hey, you’re going to be late! You should go in now, go on then!”

John didn’t give me a chance to retort as he pushed me into the revolving doors of the building. He smiled mischievously at me after forcing me into the lobby. I couldn’t tell if he had taken any of my advice to heart.

After I registered at the reception, I was brought to Zander’s office. “Mr. Hoffman is in a meeting now. Please wait here, Ms. Stovall.”

I smiled in acknowledgment. I looked around the office casually after the receptionist had left.

I heard that Tinsel Group was the best law firm in all of K City. Yet the office that had been assigned to Zander was barely a hundred square feet. There were two desks in his office. While the decor was decent, it was a far cry from what I had imagined.

About fifteen minutes later, the door opened from the outside. Zander entered the office with an older man in tow.

“Good morning,” I greeted with a smile.

“Mr. Baker, this is Scarlett, whom I’ve mentioned on several occasions. We went to school together. Scarlett, this is Mr. Eugene Baker. He’s one of the most prominent property lawyers in the field.” Zander quickly introduced the two of us.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Baker.”

“The pleasure’s all mine.” Eugene continued, “Zander has very high praise for you; I hope you don’t let him down.”

I smiled, not knowing how to go about replying to such civilities.

As if he understood my thoughts, Eugene left to give us some space. “I won’t bother the two of you then. Zander, you should bring her around the office. The two of you will report to me from now on.”

“Yes, Mr. Baker. Thank you.”

With that, Eugene left the room with a cigar in hand.

Now, only Zander and I were alone in the office.

“This table is yours.” Zander pointed at an empty desk.

I looked at the desk before turning my perplexed gaze back on him.

We’ll be facing each other?

“Isn’t this kind of inappropriate, Mr. Hoffman?” I tried to assume a civil manner. “I just came here, and I already have a private office? I’m sure some colleagues will be displeased.”

Zander stared at me for a moment as he pondered something. “So you think you’re like the other people sitting there? If that’s the case, why would I try so hard to bring you to our firm?”

I blushed in embarrassment, my words caught in my throat.

Instead of addressing my discomfort, Zander picked up some documents from his desk and passed them to me. “These are the case files for a divorce trial involving the renowned billionaire, Aaron Gomez. Please familiarize yourself with the details of the case. We need to accompany Mr. Baker to court in two days.”

“Aaron Gomez? Aren’t the news always reporting on his bachelorhood? When did he get married?” I opened the documents, and my jaw dropped as I read the contents. “He has three kids? And it’s a cheating scandal?”

This obviously wasn’t a great time for gossiping, and I could sense Zander’s confused gaze on me at my outburst. I felt like crawling into a hole out of embarrassment, but alas, I could only close the documents meekly and return to my seat to review the information.

In love, never say never chapter 1260

It was finally time to get off work. I was dying to see my kids, but Zander entered the office with a stack of documents before I could leave. He stared at me in confusion.

We stared at each other for a moment with me feeling awkward while Zander frowned.

After a while, he said, “You’re getting ready to head off?”

“Yes.” I pointed at the clock as I asked, “It’s six, right?”

Zander glanced at the clock before he said coolly, “On the first day of my apprenticeship, I was in the office till six in the evening the next day. Ms. Stovall, I hope you understand that Tinsel Group is where it is today because of our hard work. Becoming a lawyer isn’t child’s play.”

As if agitated by his own statement, he carried the documents back to his own desk silently. The mood of the room cooled several degrees.

Being thirty of age this year, I didn’t think I would be told off this badly by a man a few years younger than me.

Despite my embarrassment, I knew Zander was absolutely right. Being a lawyer was never going to be a piece of cake.

As such, I tossed my purse back on the desk before walking out of the office in search of a paralegal. I had her produce all the case files related to Eugene in the past year. I was determined to work my ass off and make up for my inexperience.

When I re-entered the room with the paralegal and piles of papers in hand, Zander’s expression told me he was viewing me in a different light.

However, his impression of me was the least of my concerns. I wanted to do a good job for my sake, as well as Ashton’s and my children’s. No one else’s opinions mattered.

I soon realized that the situation was more complicated than I had imagined. Zander was working like a machine. The clock struck eleven but he showed no signs of getting off work.

While I didn’t want to give up like this, I began to feel annoyed. Frankly, poring through the case files was a bore. I was no longer used to sitting in an office for long periods of time as well. Every second I stayed here felt like torture.

Finally, at eleven thirty, a welcome voice rang through the office. “Scarlett? Where are you?”

It’s John!

“I’m in here!”

I felt immense relief at his arrival. I jerked up from my seat and looked out the office for him, holding back the urge to rush out straight away.

John had planned to fetch me home that day but I sent him a WhatsApp message about my plans to stay late in the office that day and didn’t check my phone afterward. Luckily, he was smart enough to come knocking on the office himself. Otherwise, I might really have to stay here till the next morning.

John followed the sound of my voice till he located our office. Pushing open the door, he looked at the chaos within. Zander stopped whatever he was doing and met John’s gaze. There was suddenly an awkward tension in the air.

“You’re Letty’s supervisor?” John raised a brow, putting on an intimidating stance.

“You’re mistaken. I’m just her colleague.” Zander placed his hands in his pocket, an indifferent expression on his face.

“Right, then we’re leaving.” John turned his head away from Zander before tilting his jaw in my direction. “Come on, let’s go home.”

John exuded a natural commanding aura. Though he didn’t introduce himself, his arrogance hinted at his powerful position. A smart person would avoid offending him.

However, there were smart people in this world who held different beliefs. While they were well aware of the social niceties associated with such figures, they chose to ignore them in favor of the rules and regulations.

“As Scarlett’s family, you should be happy that she’s working hard toward her goal. You shouldn’t be blocking her path.” Zander spoke firmly, further souring the mood.

I froze in the middle of slinging my bag on my shoulder.

No one could deny Zander’s diligence when it came to working, but I felt that he had crossed the line with his provocative statement. He seemed like a totally different person compared to our previous interactions, and I felt somewhat cheated by my earlier impression of him.

“I’m sorry Mr. Hoffman,” I interrupted before John could open his mouth. I planted myself next to John before declaring to Zander, “I hope you understand that John is the closest family I have. What he does or says isn’t any of your business. I know that you’re a senior here, but that doesn’t mean you can criticize anyone as you please.”

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