C236 Stand Up For Yourself

Samantha forced a faint smile before gently placing her phone on Sarah's desk. "You've been so busy lately," she said softly. "No wonder you haven't seen it." Sarah looked up from the documents she had been reviewing, her brows knitting together in confusion. "Seen what?" Without saying another word, Samantha unlocked her phone and opened the trending news article before handing it over.

Sarah's expression remained calm at first, but as her eyes scanned the headline and then the comments beneath it, the smile on her face disappeared completely. Her grip on the phone tightened. "What is this..." She continued reading every comment one after another. "Former Vice Director finally finds happiness outside his marriage." "Sources claim his wife refused to share a room with him." "Could this marriage have been fake from the beginning?" "Perhaps power mattered more than love."

Sarah slowly lowered the phone and looked directly at Samantha. "Sister..." "Why aren't you defending yourself?" Samantha smiled bitterly. "What can I possibly say?" She leaned back in her chair and looked toward the office window. "Most of what they're saying isn't entirely false." "My marriage didn't begin because of love." "I never accepted Ben as my husband." "I failed him as a wife."

She lowered her eyes. "If only my heart had accepted him..." "...perhaps none of this would have happened." Sarah immediately shook her head. "No." She spoke with unusual firmness. "Don't waste your time regretting the past." "What happened has already happened." "What matters now is protecting yourself." "Stop blaming yourself and start defending yourself." Samantha simply smiled again. "The article isn't even my biggest concern."

Sarah frowned. "Then what is?" "My parents." The smile on Samantha's face slowly disappeared. "They benefited from my marriage to Ben." "They were happy when I married into the Wood family." "Now these articles have come out..." "...and they've been calling me nonstop." She looked down at her phone in Sarah'shand. "I already know what Father wants to say." "And that's exactly why I don't want to answer." Sarah looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Samantha gave a helpless laugh. "If I don't answer..." "...then maybe I'll still have hope that he called because he was worried about me." "But if I answer..." "...I'll hear the truth." "And I don't think my heart can bear another disappointment today." Before Sarah could respond, Samantha's phone rang once more. The ringtone echoed throughout the office. Sarah looked at the screen. "Your father again." Samantha smiled bitterly. "See?" "I told you." "Don't answer it."

Sarah looked from the phone to Samantha. "Why not?" Without another word, she pressed the answer button and immediately switched the call to speaker. A furious voice exploded through the office. "Samantha!" "Do you have any idea how much damage you've caused?" "Why are you so disobedient?" "Didn't your mother tell you to satisfy your husband?" "What kind of wife are you?" "You've embarrassed our entire family!" The shouting continued without giving Sarah a single chance to speak.

Tears slowly rolled down Samantha's cheeks. She lowered her head in silence. Sarah's expression turned ice cold. "Good morning to you too, Mr. Heaps." The shouting suddenly stopped. After several seconds of silence, Nicolas asked sharply, "Who are you?" "I'm calling my daughter." "Why are you answering her phone?" Sarah crossed her arms calmly. "Her phone happens to be with me." "So you can speak to me instead." "Now..." "How may I help you?"

Nicolas's temper flared even more. "I don't care who you are!" "Give the phone back to Samantha immediately!" "If you don't..." "...you'll see my other side." "I'll destroy you, you bitch!" Instead of becoming angry... Sarah laughed. A calm, amused laugh. "You've never met me before..." "...yet you're already insulting me." "What an interesting way for a grown man to introduce himself." She paused deliberately. "Or perhaps greed has blinded your manners."

Nicolas clenched his teeth. "Who exactly are you?" "I said give the phone back!" "You have no idea who you're provoking." "I will make your wholr family disappear." Sarah's smile widened. "My name..." "...is Sarah Wood." "You might want to do a little research before threatening people." The other end of the line suddenly became silent. Several seconds passed before Nicolas finally spoke again. "Sarah Wood..." "Kelvin Wood's daughter?"

Sarah laughed once more. "That's right." "So..." "I'll be waiting." "I'd like to see exactly how you plan to destroy me." Without giving him another opportunity to speak... She ended the call. The office fell completely silent. Sarah turned toward Samantha. The tears still hadn't stopped. She quietly opened her drawer, took out a neatly folded handkerchief, and gently placed it into Samantha's trembling hands. "Sister..." "Will you cry every time life becomes difficult?"

She spoke gently this time. "If you keep doing that..." "People will think you're weak." "They'll believe they can walk all over you." Samantha slowly wiped away her tears. "It feels like..." "...the whole world is against me." Sarah reached over and held her hand. "Then stop letting the whole world decide your life." "You've spent too many years allowing other people to tell you what to do." "You're an adult." "It's time you started making your own decisions."

Samantha nodded slowly. "You're right." "I've been too weak." "I kept hoping things would somehow change." "But all I've done..." "...is allow everyone to step on me." After another moment of silence, she looked into Sarah's eyes. "Sister..." "Do you think..." "...I'll ever find happiness?" Sarah answered without hesitation. "Yes." "You will." "But only after you completely let go of Mike."

Samantha lowered her head before smiling sadly. "I already have." "The day I found out Alicia was pregnant..." "...I finally accepted that Mike was gone forever." "I truly let him go." She sighed deeply. "But it's strange." "The moment I solved one problem..." "...another one appeared." Sarah smiled reassuringly. "This isn't your problem." "It's Ben's." "The articles are mainly attacking him." "And knowing my brother..." "...he won't allow this to continue." "He'll deal with it himself."

Relief slowly appeared on Samantha's face. "Then..." "What about my father?" "He's definitely furious now." Sarah's eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't have to worry about him anymore." "He insulted me." "So don't blame me if I'm ruthless." She smiled confidently. "And don't feel guilty either." "He's controlled your life for far too long." "It's time someone stood up for you." "I'll avenge you." Samantha stared at her in surprise. "Sister..." "What exactly are you planning?"

Sarah leaned back in her chair with a confident smile. "First..." "I want you to remember something." "You're no longer just Samantha Heaps." "You're Samantha Wood." "A member of one of the most influential families in Scotland." She looked directly into Samantha's eyes. "So tell me..." "What exactly do you lack?" "Money?" "No." "You're the Vice Director of Wood IT Company." "You own company shares." "You receive executive benefits." "If you wanted..." "...you could even start your own business tomorrow."

Samantha blinked several times. "I've... never thought about it that way." Sarah chuckled. "Exactly." "Because you've spent too much time seeing yourself as someone who needs permission." She pointed gently toward Samantha's chest. "Walk with confidence." "Speak with confidence." "Protect yourself." "And never allow anyone to make you believe you're powerless." She smiled warmly. "Remember..." "That Wood surname alone will win battles before you even begin fighting them."