Sage didn't expect Donald to buy a gift for Ian as well. But apart from that, he intended to give it to him under her name. The old man had certainly thought it through.Since Donald had set things up, Sage had no choice but to play along in Ian's presence. She took the box from Susan and handed it to Ian. "Here.""What is it?" Ian asked calmly.She responded equally calmly, "You'll know once you check it out.""Alright now, you can have a couple's talk later. For now, take a seat and have something," Susan said to them. The staff at the revolving restaurant were busy helping customers grill the seafood they ordered. Sage took the nearest seat, and Ian sat beside her. Susan, a lover of heavy foods, ordered a mountain of seafood and had the chefs grill them for the party. Not only that, she requested for them to add more spices and garlic seasoning."Aunt Susan, Ian doesn't take spicy foods," Sage blurted out, her mind still on the gift from Donald. She noticed a faint smile on

"Layla, what's going on this time? Why have you started rambling again? Sit up and eat your dinner like a lady," Owen intervened angrily."Right, Layla. Don't kick up a fuss. If you're interested in the earrings, I'll just get them for you. Why would you buy a second-hand item? It's not like we can't afford new ones," Susan remarked.Layla couldn't find a way to explain Henry's detestable action to her parents, so she brushed it off. "It's nothing."Sage then said, "Aunt Susan, I sold off the earrings because I thought they were ugly. Layla thought they were unique though, so she bought them for her research and study. She didn't know that I was the seller."Susan seemed convinced by Sage's account and even looked proud of Layla. She said, "Layla might not be the best in academics, but she's talented in design. I'm proud that she's willing to invest her time in it!""I agree," Sage replied. "Aunt Susan, why don't you consider sending Layla to the famous art and design schools in P

Sage's grin didn't anger Ian in the slightest. It had been a while since she smiled so brightly at him. Usually, she only gave him cold smirks and an occasional gleeful laugh when she pranked him.Sage's smile might have been fake, but it stirred something in him. Her smile, once common, had become rarer lately. He struggled to get used to its absence. "Don't worry. Your card might still be with me, but it's technically still yours," she added in the face of his silence."Sage, don't be childish," he said with a snort. "Didn't I say that you have the freedom to do anything with the gift I gave you? I'm only here to tell you this before I leave: Terry has taken care of the incident last night. It will not happen again." With that, Ian left in great strides, leaving her frozen in shock. Ian's behavior was unusual. Why did he defend her, and why wasn't he angered by her provocation?She decided to put her thoughts behind her. She had never managed to read his mind anyway. Nonethele

Michaal explained to Sage, "We met these people when we were singing in bars."Sage smiled. "You may be young, but you sure have plenty of experience."When they approached the stage, Kai and the others spotted Sage and greeted her. The mood in the bar was cheery.After some chitchat, it was time for Michael and his bandmates to perform. They took their seats onstage and started playing. As the lead singer, Michael garnered the most attention. Dressed in a simple yet stylish black T-shirt, he had his hair up, baring his forehead. He sang in a deep and emotional voice as he gazed at the audience, looking princely.After performing two slow numbers, the group decided to spice things up with a few drum beats. The change in energy made even Sage want to perform.When she was ten, she picked up drumming for a few years to relieve her stress from studying. Her drum teacher praised her for being a fast learner with a good sense of rhythm.In her freshman year, she attracted much atten

"Miss, your phone's ringing!" someone told Sage as she was goofing off with Kai.She checked her phone. It was a call from Wanda. "Wanda, what's up?" Sage asked after accepting the call. Wanda, perhaps a little taken aback at the noise in the background, paused before cautiously asking, "Mrs. Holcomb, where are you? It's a little noisy on your end."Sage wandered over to a quiet corner and answered, "I'm with some friends at a bar. Why did you call?"After some hesitation, Wanda wondered aloud, "Mrs. Holcomb, it's nearly 11:00 p.m. now. When are you going to come home?"Before Wanda went to sleep, she'd occasionally check what time Sage was coming home. Sage replied, "I don't know. Wanda, just go to sleep. Don't worry about me.""Um, one more thing, Mrs. Holcomb," Wanda added. "Mr. Holcomb couldn't find his usual pajamas.""Well, he can always wear other pajamas. Does he want to make me go home just to search for his pajamas?""But he isn't used to the other sets. You woke up