Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 1208

Riley was visibly anxious, her nerves clearly on edge: “How much longer are you going to keep hiding this? The child is already growing up, and we haven't even met her yet. Are you really planning to wait until your father and I are dead before we get to see our own granddaughter?”

Elton, however, was also showing signs of irritation: “I understand, alright? I’ll bring her over soon for you to meet.”

That seemed to somewhat soften Riley's demeanor. She knew all too well about Elton’s stubborn nature. If pushed too hard, he might just leave, like he did back then, and then there’d be no contact at all. Besides, this required careful planning. The Taylor legacy had to be safeguarded, and absolutely not fall into that woman’s hands. They needed to be cautious. Today marked the day Elton had a falling out with that woman. Who knew what kind of trouble that schemer might cause, or what kind of problems she could drag Elton into.

Agnes was caught in her usual routine between the TV station, the Tim Group, and Maplewood Manor. Life seemed uneventfully mundane. However, recently her sleep had been anything but peaceful. She was plagued by nightmares of sinking into the abyss, where the underwater depths were eerily calm but the surface raged with storms. Sinking deeper into the darkness, watching the sunlight and life above grow distant. She tried to grasp at something, anything, on the surface but caught only water. A suffocating fear wrapped around her throat like a viper. And then she’d wake up, gasping for air.

Agnes sat up abruptly, sweat forming a thin layer on her back. Instinctively, she glanced at the clock. It was only 3 AM. Agnes exhaled deeply, covering her face, and sat there for a moment. Jared wrapped a blanket around her shoulders, his voice still groggy and hoarse: “Was it another nightmare?”

Agnes turned to him: “I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Jared pulled her into an embrace, gently patting her back: “I’m right here. Try to get some more sleep.”

Jared’s presence was comforting. Soon, Agnes drifted back to sleep.

The next day, Agnes headed to the station. She had barely sat down when Ramona came over: “Boss, our last show got cut. Can you believe it? The chief decided to replace ‘The Primary Perspective’ with the News Department’s ‘Star Gossip’. Has he lost his mind? We’re a reputable station, not some tabloid. Prime time slot for celebrity gossip, really? It’s like we’re lowering our standards. Mr. Judson was livid, nearly had a stroke, even threatened to resign.”

Agnes’s expression darkened. What was happening? ‘The Primary Perspective’ was their top-rated, critically acclaimed show. The chief’s decision seemed like a huge mistake. Agnes stood up: “I’m going to see the chief.”

Upon arriving at the chief’s office, she saw Mr. Judson storming out, his face flushed with anger. Agnes had never seen Mr. Judson so furious. Seeing Agnes, Judson said, “I thought this place was different, that truth came before profit. Now, I see it’s all about the right price. I can’t stay here any longer. Agnes, watch your back.”

With that, Judson left. Agnes paused at the door, then knocked. The chief’s voice came through, laced with irritation: “Come in!”