His question left me at a loss for words, the explanation I had prepared lodged uncomfortably in my throat. I finally mumbled, "But my reputation isn’t good. Staying here might bring trouble to you." I avoided his gaze, staring fixedly at my toes, the weight of his silent scrutiny pressing down on me. After a long pause, a soft sigh escaped him. “Don’t overthink it. Come inside. I’ll make sure you’re settled.” He turned and walked ahead. I hesitated for a moment before trailing after him. ... The house was quiet, the staff moving about with practiced efficiency. There was an inexplicable sense of comfort here. Unlike Julian’s cold, lifeless villa, this place brimmed with traces of lived-in warmth. The slightly peeling wooden bookshelves, the western-style fireplace with its edges scorched from use, and the well-worn but impeccably maintained leather sofa all spoke of a home steeped in history and care. I sat on the sofa, awkwardly waiting as Miles went upstairs to cha
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I felt as though I were trapped in a surreal dream. The room wasn’t excessively opulent, yet it radiated an extraordinary sense of warmth and comfort. A housekeeper placed a neatly folded set of clothes beside me, smiling politely. “Miss Evelyn, these are pajamas Mr. Wynn selected for you. If they don’t fit, please let us know.”I glanced at the soft pink sleepwear and quickly nodded. “Please thank Mr. Wynn for me.”The housekeeper showed me how to use the bedside phone and the bathroom controls before leaving the room. Just as I began to settle in, my phone buzzed. It was Dolly. “Why did it take you so long to answer? I was terrified something happened! Did Julian hurt you? And how’s your arm?” she demanded, her voice rising with worry. I quickly recounted my trip to the hospital. On the other end, Dolly went silent for a moment, then burst out, “Wait! Dr. Reed? That Michael Reed? The legendary orthopedic doctor?! And who’s the ridiculously handso
When I brought up my brother, I felt a pang of sadness. "He's incredible. My brother has always been the pride of the White family."Dolly rudely interrupted me. "And what about Julian? Do you think he's impressive?"The mere mention of Julian made me uncomfortable. "Can we not talk about him?"Dolly softened her tone. "Fine, let's stick to your brother. Your brother is considered a rising star in Riverdale's business world, a prominent figure. Julian is barely catching up, but neither of them holds a candle to Miles!"I frowned. "That's a bit much. My brother is remarkable; he's no less capable than Miles."Dolly let out a scoff. "I never said your brother isn't great. But the White family doesn't have the deep foundations the Wynn family does. Look it up if you don't believe me."I fell silent. I was well aware of the White family's standing; it was indeed much smaller compared to the Wynns.Dolly snorted again. "Forget it. You're just a lovesick fool obsessed with Julian, blind to a
My head began to throb, a relentless buzzing sound filling my ears. The dizziness hit me again, and I struggled to explain, "I’m not a homewrecker... I’m not...""Not?" Kira’s voice shot up a notch. "You openly pursued Julian in your sophomore year! If that’s not being a homewrecker, then what is? Let me tell you, you ruined the relationship between Julian and Chloe. You’re the reason they broke up!""No, it’s not like that... It’s not... Dolly told me it wasn’t..." It couldn’t be true. I wasn’t a homewrecker. Dolly told me that Julian and Chloe had already broken up when I found out and began pursuing him. I wasn’t the other woman—it wasn’t possible. But how could I explain this to Kira? I had lost my memory; I didn’t even know what had happened back then. My body started trembling uncontrollably, cold sweat breaking out all over me. Regret washed over me. I shouldn’t have come to the Wynn estate. I should have stayed at the hospital earlier today. Getting admitted would’ve at
He noticed my eyes flutter open and asked gently, "Do you think I should call your brother?"I froze, unsure how to respond. A wave of bitterness surged in my chest.Dolly said my brother hadn’t spoken to me in five years. Miles studied my expression and spoke slowly. "Your situation doesn’t look good. I’ll call him in a bit anyway. He’s your brother—blood ties can’t be ignored, no matter what. When Joseph gets here, he’ll check you over. If it’s serious, you might need to stay in the hospital tonight." He added, "I wasn’t stopping you from going earlier; I was just worried there’d be no one to look after you if you were admitted alone." I could hold back my tears when he mentioned my brother. But when he said that last sentence, tears started streaming uncontrollably down my face. Seeing me cry, Miles spoke gently, "Don’t cry. It’s going to be okay. You’ll be alright." He picked up his phone and stepped out to make a call. I silently wept for a while. When Miles returned
That night, I slept much more soundly.I drifted in and out of sleep until the next day around noon. When I finally stirred, I noticed the IV still attached to my hand. Beside me, a nurse was quietly taking my blood pressure.I shifted slightly and asked, "Where’s Miles?"The nurse looked at me, puzzled.I quickly corrected myself. "I mean, where’s Mr. Wynn?"She smiled. "Mr. Wynn left for work this morning. He should be back soon."I couldn’t help but smile.How nice—it felt like waking up to see Miles was something to look forward to.But as I smiled, a strange sense of unease crept over me.Why was I so eager to see a man I’d only met yesterday?Could it be… had I already fallen for him?The thought struck me like a bolt of lightning, and I suddenly felt deeply embarrassed.Maybe Dolly was right—I probably did have a terminal case of being a hopeless romantic. After all, Julian had turned me into a lovesick fool, leaving me battered and humiliated for seven years, becoming the laugh
"If you don’t come back, there’s nothing left to discuss!"I stared at my phone, which wouldn’t stop buzzing with notifications. Whatever patience I had left was completely drained. Without hesitation, I blocked Julian. A moment later, as if realizing he’d been blocked on WhatsApp, he started calling me instead. I didn’t even hesitate, and I blocked his number too. Finally, there was blissful silence. It felt like I could finally breathe again, a rush of relief washing over me like I’d just shed a heavy weight. I should have done this a long time ago. I, Evelyn White, was never someone to be pushed around. Why had I tolerated Julian and his childhood sweetheart stomping all over me without fighting back? The more I thought about it, the more I regretted not standing up for myself earlier. Why hadn’t I lost my temper and put him in his place when I had the chance? The door opened, and Miles walked in, bathed in the soft light of the afternoon. I quickly tucked my phone
They had no obligation to me, and the fact that Miles had done this much was more than generous. Perhaps he was only helping me out of respect for the White family and my brother. Any unrealistic thoughts I might have had vanished into thin air. The test results were promising—there were signs that the swelling in my brain was subsiding. Last night’s vomiting was just a symptom of post-concussion syndrome. As I held the report in my hands, a weight lifted from my chest. I was still young; I wasn’t ready to give up on life just yet. I didn’t understand why I’d been so impulsive to jump before losing my memory. If I ever had to do it again, I’d make sure to drag Julian, that scumbag, down with me. “Why are you still being so dramatic, Evelyn? The doctor said you’re fine.” The voice I dreaded most returned, lingering like a shadow. I frowned as Julian strode over, his presence making my scalp tingle with unease. Instinctively, I stepped behind Joseph. Joseph position
She stared at me for a long moment before urging, “Hurry up! He’s probably online right now.”“How do I contact him?” I asked.Dolly rolled her eyes. “Go to your account and message him.”I hesitated. “I forgot my login credentials.”With an exasperated sigh, Dolly helped me set up a new account.After what felt like forever, I finally managed to log in.I sent a message: "Hello, I’m Evelyn White, Julian Moore’s wife. Can I have your contact information? I need to ask you about something."A few minutes later, I got a reply: "Sure."I waited a moment before another message appeared.It was a username notification.I quickly added the contact.His profile picture was an anime-style illustration of a smirking, devilish-looking man. Something about the eyes looked oddly familiar.I typed, "Hello, may I ask where you got the photos you posted?"The chat showed he was typing.After a long pause, his response finally came through, "Someone sent them to me."I followed up immediately, "Would
I let out a wry laugh. A hopeless warrior for love?I said, "I know you're mocking me, but right now, I feel like a corpse that’s barely holding itself together."Dolly laughed and patted my shoulder. "Well, this whole mess works in your favor. Just sit back and let them tear each other apart."I shook my head. "That’s not going to happen. Julian won’t fight back. He has too much self-control for that."Dolly frowned. "Why not?"I forced another laugh. "You already said it yourself that I spent five years pushing his limits, making a scene, and he never budged. “Do you really think he’s going to be fazed by Chloe throwing a tantrum? He’ll probably just tell her to stop making a fuss."Dolly was stunned for a second before bursting into laughter, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. She gave me a thumbs-up. "Eve, you’re finally catching on."...After Dolly’s chaotic wake-up call, I had no hope of going back to sleep. So, I freshened up quickly and headed to breakfast.Curiosi
My chest fluttered. I lifted my head. He smiled and asked, "What's wrong?" I mumbled something under my breath. He didn’t catch it. "What did you say?" Annoyed, I turned and walked away. "Be careful. I’ll pick you up for dinner tomorrow." I didn’t even look back. "No, I’m sick of eating out every day." He chuckled. "Then where do you want to go? I’ll plan something." I had already run quite a distance, but hearing that, I couldn’t help glancing back. He was leaning casually against the car, long legs crossed effortlessly, hands tucked into his pockets. He watched me with a smile, the night breeze playing with the strands of his hair, making a few stray locks dance across his forehead. Under the glow of the streetlights, shadows flickered across his face—deep and soft, an achingly beautiful sight. I stood there, momentarily spellbound. He waved. "Go on, I’ll watch until you’re upstairs." My face burned as I spun around and hurried inside. ... The next mo
"So, Evelyn started acting out like crazy. She questioned my whereabouts and argued with me..." Julian's eyes flickered with regret. "I shouldn't have treated her that way. I knew she lacked a sense of security. I knew how small she felt in this relationship..."Chloe snapped back to her senses and screamed, "So what are you telling me? That you love her? No, are you saying you’ve always loved her? That you never loved me?"Julian stared at her with disgust. "Isn’t it obvious? You don’t love me either. Since you don’t love me, why should I love you?"Chloe broke down. "You don’t love me, yet you bought me so many things? Gave me so much money? No, Julian, you must love me! You can only love me!"Julian’s voice was ice-cold. "You kept provoking Evelyn, pushing her to the edge, forcing her to make a fool of herself, chasing after me, begging for reconciliation, only to fight again once we got back together. You just wanted her to leave me, didn’t you?"You don’t love me—you just can’t
She looked around in terror at the pitch-black road.She was too scared to notice earlier, but now she realized Julian had driven them onto a winding mountain road. There wasn’t a soul in sight for miles in either direction.Julian remained unmoved. “Get out.”Chloe’s sobs grew louder. “Julian, I won’t! If you’re angry, you can yell at me, hit me if you want, but why bring me here just to scare me? Please—”She reached for him, trying to tug at his arm, pleading desperately.Julian shoved her away roughly. She almost slammed into the car window, letting out a muffled gasp of pain, but despite the blow, she still clung to him, refusing to let go.Without another word, Julian stepped out of the car, walked around, and yanked open the passenger door.His face was grim as he grabbed Chloe and dragged her out of the car.Her hair fell loose as she collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.“Julian, I was wrong! I was wrong! I won’t do it again. Please, just let this go.”She begged
As they walked away, their figures looked somewhat pathetic.Edmund shook his head. “Sigh, he really can’t afford to lose.”Robert let out a sigh. “That woman of Julian’s is too restless.”Miles turned to the two elders and said, “Mr. Moore is actually quite capable, but when it comes to relationships, he seems to lack some judgment.”Edmund chuckled. “If he can’t even see through something this simple, how can anyone expect him to handle something bigger?”Robert nodded. “I used to think Julian was bold and ambitious, but now it seems he still lacks some depth.”The two men exchanged a look and shook their heads at the same time.Something stirred in me, and I turned to look at Miles.His expression remained neutral. He was still speaking in Julian’s defense, but…After what had just happened, Julian’s long-standing reputation in the business world was bound to take a hit.Who was the smartest person here?Suddenly, I felt like Miles was more of a silent hunter, quietly waiting for h
Julian let out a cold snort. "You were always jealous of her—spreading rumors, threatening her. You’ve done plenty of terrible things. This is just another one of your usual tricks."I was completely numb to his accusations by now.Turning to the attendants, I said calmly, "Go check the security footage. That should clear everything up."At those words, Julian’s expression shifted slightly, and Chloe’s face paled with obvious guilt.Immediately, she threw herself into Julian’s arms. "Julian, just let it go, okay? It’s just a small cut. Maybe Miss White didn’t mean to do it. She probably just slipped and accidentally hurt me."She turned to me, her voice soft and pitiful. "Right, Miss White?"I remained expressionless. "That’s not for me to say. After all, Mr. Moore already decided I was guilty before seeing any proof."Chloe quickly latched onto Julian again. "Julian, there are so many important people here tonight. My injury isn’t worth making a big deal over. Really, it was my own
The lounge was elegantly arranged, offering floral arrangement stations, live acoustic performances, and even a mahjong area, clearly designed for high-profile female guests.Familiar with these types of settings, I quietly selected a floral arrangement station and began assembling a bouquet, focusing on the delicate balance of colors and textures.Before long, Chloe sauntered over gracefully.Her cheeks were flushed, likely from the alcohol she had consumed during dinner.I glanced at her briefly but continued with my arrangement.She sat beside me, watching with a half-smile, studying me for a long moment.I finally asked, "Do you need something?"Chloe let out a soft laugh. "Miss White, I admit, I underestimated you."Snipping the stem of a flower, I replied indifferently, "Miss Clarke, if you have something to say, just say it."She exhaled and leaned in slightly. "One hundred million. I’ll convince Julian to give it to you. In exchange, you sign the divorce agreement amicably."I
Oh, so Julian thought I was bullying Chloe again.But then why hadn’t he been willing to publicly claim her just moments ago?Maybe my head still wasn’t fully right—because no matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t understand what went on in these men’s minds.After failing to get a reaction from me, Chloe immediately turned her attention to Miles.Her voice remained soft and delicate, the kind that would stir pity in any normal man.That was Chloe’s talent—shameless persistence and the ability to play the victim at any given moment.I heard her say, "Mr. Wynn, I’ve admired you for a long time. I never expected you to be even more handsome and charismatic in person than the rumors suggest."Miles responded with a simple, indifferent "Mm."Not discouraged, Chloe continued, "Mr. Wynn, you’ve accomplished so much at such a young age. I truly envy Miss White… She always seems to have a way of finding men like you."I nearly choked on my tea.Barely restraining my disgust, I lowered my eyes.