Gia sounded frantic.


    Xylia listened, said nothing, then hung up and blocked her number.


    #56 vouchers


    She had no idea how Gia got her number, but one thing was certain–she didn’t want anything to do with the Schultzs anymore.


    She was done getting tangled up with the Schultzs.


    Kidnapped or not, Yves’s troubles had nothing to do with her.


    “Who was that?” Josie asked.


    Xylia just shrugged. “Scam call,” she said, her tone detached.


    Meanwhile, Gia just stared at her phone in disbelief. She never expected Xylia to hang up–and when she tried dialing again, her calls wouldn’t go through at all.


    Yves, sitting on the hotel bed, overheard Gia’s anxious voice from the next room. His face flushed with rage.


    He mmed his palm down hard on the mattress.


    “Can you believe that cold–hearted ingrate! Now that she’s off in Norhill rubbing shoulders with the rich, she acts like we never raised her? What a thankless traitor!” Yves raged.


    Gia was fuming too.


    Before Tessa came back to the Schultz family, they’d always made sure Xylia had everything she needed. Food, clothes, whatever–she was never shortchanged.


    ‘Raising her was the biggest favor she could ever get,‘ Gia thought bitterly.


    And now, after telling her Yves had been kidnapped, Xylia didn’t show a shred of sympathy.


    ‘Yves was right–Xylia’s nothing but a cold–hearted ingrate,‘ Gia seethed.


    Gia shot Yves a panicked look. “What now? She blocked my number.”


    “Call Tessa,” Yves snapped.


    Gia didn’t hesitate. She called Tessa and exined everything.


    Tessa let out a coldugh on the other end.


    “That’s just how Xylia is. Now that she’s hooked up with the Sadlers and messing around as someone’s mistress, there’s no way she’d actuallye forward to help Mom and Dad,” Tessa sneered.


    Yves’s voice went cold. “You and Connor are about to get married, but I haven’t seen you lift a finger to help us


    8:30 Thu, Sep 18 <b>N </b>


    with the Schultz family’s problems.”


    0:


    Gia quickly reached over, gesturing for him to keep quiet.


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    Tessa paused on the other end before responding, her tone distant. “It’s not that I don’t want to help, but Ford Group just suffered a huge blow, and Connor’s got his own hands full trying to stay afloat right now…”


    Yves looked like he was about to snap, but Gia quickly pressed a hand over his mouth to shut him up.


    “We know, that’s exactly why we’re trying to reach out to Xylia,” Gia said, her voice edged with frustration. “The Sadlers have serious influence, and since Xylia’s Kaden’s mistress, if she ys that card, maybe the Sadlers would throw in some help for the Schultzs too.”


    She let out a long, helpless sigh. “But Xylia won’t see us or even pick up the phone. I really don’t know what else we can do.”


    Tessa paused for a second. “Maybe there’s someone who might actually help you guys out.”


    “Who?” Gia jumped at the chance.


    Tessa shot Gia a number in a text.


    “They’re the head jewelry designer at Garcia Group–got a bit of history with Xylia. Maybe they can get through to her and help you,” Tessa said.


    “Tessa, you’re really our lucky star!” Gia said, her relief bubbling over.


    She hung up the call with a cheerful smile, feeling hope spark anew now that Tessa had sent over the number.


    Tessa had already sent Gia the contact info.


    Gia handed the phone to Yves.


    “See? Tessa’s always looking out for our family. Saying things like that only ends up hurting her feelings,” Gia sighed, nudging Yves.


    Yves snorted.


    “Garcia Group suddenly turns on Schultz Group, and now we’re supposed to go begging their people for help? Does Tessa really mean this, or is she just messing with us?” he muttered.


    Gia shot him a sharp look. “If you don’t trust our daughter, then figure it out yourself!”


    Yves fell silent.


    Gia sighed. “Schultz Group is about to go bankrupt. Ziggy’s out there begging anyone who might help, just trying to get thepany back on its feet. This is our only shot–we’ve got to at least try.”


    Yves fell silent.


    Gia dialed the number Tessa had sent.


    05 vouchers


    Xylia had spent a week perfecting the employee uniform designs for Garcia Group.


    She reached out to Joshua to see if he had some time, so she could bring the designs over herself and get his feedback.


    Joshua had a packed schedule that day, both work and personal.


    He asked Xylia toe by at noon.


    Xylia, unaware of how busy he was, asked where he nned to grab lunch.


    Joshua said he’d just grab something quick at the office, so Xylia packed two meals and headed over to Garcia Group to wait for him.


    She walked into Joshua’s office like she owned the ce.


    She plopped down on the couch, bored, and opened a bag of spicy snacks.


    Noelle walked in without knocking.


    The moment she entered, the strong smell of spicy snacks hit her and she instantly grimaced, her brows pinched together even tighter.


    She nced at Xylia with obvious disdain. “Joshua never said you could make his office smell like a food stall, you know. Shouldn’t you have a little more self–awareness? Just imagine if he brought a client in here and the only thing they remembered was the overwhelming stench of spicy snacks,” Noelle added, her tone sharp and condescending.


    ‘Ugh, annoyingly, Noelle actually had a point, Xylia thought, ncing around the room.


    She hopped off the couch and flicked on the office venttion system.


    In just a few minutes, the smell of spicy snacks faded away.


    Noelle wasn’t impressed by how unbothered Xylia acted, but since she actually needed something today, she reined in her usual edge.


    “Ms. Sadler, do you have a minute?” Noelle asked.


    She took the seat straight across from Xylia.


    Xylia just met her gaze, calm. “What’s up?”


    Noelle kept smiling, as if she and Xylia were the best of friends.


    “I was thinking we could have lunch together,” she offered.


    Xylia shot her a puzzled look. ‘We’re not that close, she thought, a bit wary,


    8:30 Thu, Sep <b>18 </b><b>N </b>


    “No, thanks…” Xylia replied coolly.


    Just as Xylia was about to decline, Noelle jumped in and cut her off.


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    “Ms. Sadler, aren’t you even a little curious about what’s going on between Joshua and me?” Noelle teased, her voiceced with flirty undertones and a hint of challenge.


    Noelle’s words hung in the air, thick with implication, almost as if she was dangling some secret right in front of Xylia, waiting to see her squirm. ‘Is she really trying to y mind games with me?‘ Xylia wondered,pletely unamused.


    Xylia met Noelle’s gaze, utterly unreadable. ‘Why would I even care?‘ she thought, her face an emotionless mask.


    “Nope,” Xylia answered tly.


    If she wanted to know, she’d hear it straight from Joshua.


    Noelle hadn’t expected Xylia to brush her off so coldly.


    She tried again. “Ms. Sadler, Joshua must’ve told you that my brother died saving him.”


    Xylia stayed silent.


    ‘Let’s see what you’re really after, Xylia thought, keeping quiet.


    Noelle kept at it, her voice soft butyered with meaning. “He feels guilty about what happened to my brother, that’s why he always looks after me. But the people who want Joshua gone–they’re still out there. Aren’t you dying to know who’s really pulling the strings against him?”


    Xylia didn’t say a word, her silence heavy with a thousand thoughts.


    ‘Damn it, I actually want to know, Xylia felt her heart skip.


    That day she went out with Eliza, the question had been burning at the back of her mind.


    But Eliza had blindsided her, tossing out that whole marriage bomb and throwing everything off.


    Noelle had been hanging around the Garcias for ages–she definitely knew who hurt Joshua back then, and who he’s still watching out for.


    Xylia was super curious; she’d tried to get answers from Joshua more than once, but whether she asked outright or tried hinting, he always gave her the runaround.


    She could tell he really didn’t want her in on it.


    After thinking it over, Xylia finally turned to Noelle.


    “You set the time and ce. I’m open the next couple days,” she said.


    “Alright, 3 p.m. tomorrow then. I’ll text you the address,” Noelle replied, her smile lingering.


    8:30 Thu, Sep 18 N


    After confirming the meeting with Xylia, Noelle slipped out of the office.


    She ran right into Joshua at the entrance as he stepped back into the office.


    Joshua’s expression instantly soured the moment he spotted her.


    “Why are you here?” he snapped, clearly not in the mood for surprises.


    Noelle immediately looked uneasy, almost shrinking back as she met Joshua’s eyes.


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    35 vouchers


    “I just stopped by to say hi to Ms. Sadler. That’s all. I’ll just head out now,” she muttered, practically making <i>a </i>dash for the exit.


    Joshua paid her no mind and just pushed open the door, stepping into the office.


    “You’re back,” Xylia said, her voice calm and steady as she watched him enter.


    Xylia watched Joshua walk in, her eyes steady and unfazed.


    She looked perfectlyposed, not a trace of distress–clearly, Noelle hadn’t managed to shake her whatsoever.


    Joshua caught that and finally felt at ease.


    “Did you bring the designs?” he asked, his tone softening.


    C