Sam suddenly posed a question that caught Loreen off guard, leaving her flustered. “You… You… You’re not serious! I… I don’t like Charlie!” she stammered, trying to deflect.


    “I don’t buy it!” Sam replied, trailing off. “After years of picking up girls, I know women well enough. The way you’re acting right now clearly shows you must have a secret crush on Charlie!”


    Loreen feigned impatience, saying, “Oh please, think whatever you want. I’m done talking to you.”<fn2031> Checktest chapters at find?novel</fn2031>


    Sam cautioned her, “Loreen, Charlie is married! You need to steer clear of him. If word gets out that the eldest daughter of the Thomas family has feelings for a married man, it would reflect poorly on your family!”


    At this, Loreen felt her anger re. “You have the nerve to lecture me? Everyone knows about your surgery mishap—you swallowed your own ne! And let’s not forget how you rode a clunky bike all the way from Eastcliff to Aurous Hill while wearing a ridiculous green helmet. The whole city isughing at you! Why don’t you talk about how you’ve disgraced the Thomas family instead?”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    “I….” Sam felt a rush of shame, mixed with frustration. “Loreen, is this really necessary? Do we have to hurt each other like this?”


    Loreen shot back, “Who told you to bring me into this?”


    Sam sighed, clearly defeated. “Fine! I get it—you’ve got a crush on Charlie…”


    He continued, muttering to himself, “It’s just bizarre! Why is Charlie, a married man, so appealing? Are all the other men in the world just gone?”


    Loreen decided to drop her pretense and asked curiously, “Who else is interested in him?”


    Sam, feeling exasperated, replied, “There’s Jasmine from the Moore family in Aurous Hill! Remember when I swallowed that ne? That was at Jasmine’s birthday party! I was trying to impress her because our families have even discussed a possible marriage arrangement. But she wouldn’t even look my way—her attention was all on Charlie! That’s what made me so furious!”


    Loreen gasped, “No way! Jasmine likes Charlie? You can’t be serious!”


    Sam replied, disheartened, “Why would I lie? What do I gain from that? Honestly, I really like Jasmine. Now that she’s the head of the Moore family, marrying her would significantly benefit the Kilgore family. But she clearly looks down on me!”


    Loreen couldn’t help but picture Jasmine’s stunning beauty. Despite being the eldest daughter of a prominent family herself, Loreen often felt overshadowed by Jasmine’s confidence.


    The Moore family was just as powerful as the Thomas family, and Jasmine was undeniably breathtaking, with both stunning looks and an exceptional demeanor. She was the epitome of beauty, outshining many, including ire, who, while attractive,cked the same charisma and grace.


    What set Jasmine apart was that she was now leading the Moore family, a rare feat for women in prominent families, as most would eventually marry out and forfeit their inheritance. The Moore family, however, embraced this approach.


    Now Jasmine was managing a massive fortune, making her one of the top female tycoons in the country. Even Stefanie, who hadn’t fully taken over the Sun family yet, couldn’tpare to Jasmine’s status right now.


    The realization that such a remarkable woman was also interested in Charlie made Loreen acutely aware of the fiercepetition she faced.


    “Why is he so popr?” she pondered, feeling the weight of her insecurities.