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
I said, "I want a divorce. Julian, if you’re truly a man, let’s end this amicably."Looking directly into his eyes, I continued, "I was young and naive before. I made mistakes. Julian, let’s set each other free."With that, I turned and left the hospital with Joseph by my side.As the elevator doors slowly closed, I caught one last glimpse of Julian’s tall, solitary figure standing in the hallway.Lowering my gaze, I refused to look at him again.I couldn’t quite describe how I felt. Relief, perhaps?At eighteen, Evelyn White had been proud and radiant, but she had loved the wrong person, clipping her own brilliant wings.At twenty-five, she was still young enough to start over.But this time, she wouldn’t fall so easily into the trap of love.I returned to the Wynn estate.Joseph continued administering the IV drip and making sure I took my medication.I complied obediently. Before leaving, he turned to me and said earnestly, "Miss White, everything will be okay."A bit surprised, I a
The moment Julian spoke, Chloe broke into even louder sobs, tears streaming down her cheeks like a porcelain doll cracked beyond repair.Dolly gave a cold laugh, then tugged my arm. “Come on. This place is suffocating.”We turned to leave.“Wait!” Julian called out.I stopped and glanced back, frowning.He looked like he wanted to warn me and say something sharp but seemed to realize this wasn’t the time or place.In the end, all he could manage was, “Eve, don’t take it out on Chloe. Think about the baby.”I gave a short, cold laugh. “The baby? Whose baby?”His face flushed, then paled. “Eve, don’t be so... unreasonable…”The last word came out weak and guilty.I smiled. If Julian had changed at all since I lost my memory, this was it—he’d gone from brazenly cheating and blaming me to fumbling through half-hearted defenses, too ashamed to even meet my eyes.I didn’t bother wasting another second on him. “Mr. Moore, instead of lecturing me, maybe ask your precious Chloe why she came al
Chloe was caught off guard by his words, staring at Julian with a wounded look.But his eyes weren’t on her.I saw her bite her lip hard, then shoot me a bitter, venomous glance.I almost laughed and turned my attention back to the runway....Elmwood’s show was a complete success. When Sarah stepped onstage for her closing remarks, the applause lasted well over ten minutes.A swarm of reporters rushed forward for interviews, while the invited sponsors were led by staff into a backstage lounge to rest.Dolly and I took a seat and chatted about the standout pieces we’d captured on our phones.She was just as experienced as I was in the industry, but unlike me, Dolly was passionate about fashion design since she was a kid. She even self-studied design courses back in college.It was her eye and enthusiasm back then that convinced me to sponsor Elmwood’s first brand show.Now that the company was gaining momentum, no one was happier than her.We were deep in discussion when a shadow appe
Seeing that I’d achieved what I wanted, I immediately agreed.Just as I was about to turn away, I remembered something and said to Sarah, “By the way, I’m no longer Mrs. Moore. My name’s Evelyn White. You can call me Eve, or Miss White.”Sarah froze. “Wait, what…?”Her assistant quickly leaned in and whispered a few words into her ear.Sarah’s expression shifted instantly.Her eyes filled with sympathy as she looked at me.She took my hand and sighed. “Mrs.—I mean, Miss White, I admire your courage.”Just then, she turned and caught sight of Julian and Chloe approaching. Her expression instantly soured.“What’s that scumbag doing here? And with her, no less…”I stepped in before it escalated. “Let’s catch up after the show, Sarah.”With that, I turned and made my way back to my seat.Behind me, I heard Julian’s overly polite voice. “Miss Care, the setup of your show is quite impressive.”Chloe chimed in sweetly, trying to please. “Miss Care, I heard your designs have won international
Julian froze.From the look on his face, he clearly had no idea what this brand show was actually about. As for Chloe…I glanced at her and, sure enough, caught the flicker of guilt in her eyes.Julian turned to her, frowning. “What’s going on?”Chloe looked timid and unsure. “Julian, are you upset with me? I really don’t know what’s going on either. It was Mr. Watson who told me a company-sponsored fashion event had invited us to come take a look.”Tears gathered in her eyes. “You know how much I love fashion and art events... I didn’t realize there was anything out of the ordinary.”Her explanation wiped the irritation clean off Julian’s face.He softened. “Alright, I’m not blaming you. I just… never mind. This isn’t your fault.”Then he turned to me with a sharp glare, clearly annoyed. “Evelyn, what exactly do you want?”As he spoke, he tugged uncomfortably at the collar of his tie.I noticed more and more guests arriving, and I said coolly, “I’m just letting you know that this bra
The hostess paused for a second, then quickly adjusted with a smile. "Of course, Miss White. Miss Jones, please follow me. Our founder and a few directors are over this way."“Well, well, no longer Mrs. Moore? That was fast. Wasn’t it just a while ago someone couldn’t stop flaunting the fact that she was Mrs. Moore?”A mocking voice rang out.I turned around sharply, my expression darkening.Chloe stood there in a loose-fitting dress, carefully shielding her baby bump. Her arm was looped through Julian’s.And the one who’d made the snide comment was Rossie.Rossie stood beside Chloe, eyeing me from head to toe with thinly veiled smugness.Chloe’s eyes flickered the moment she saw me. She quickly leaned into Julian’s chest, all delicate and helpless."Julian, why didn’t you tell me Miss White would be here?" she asked sweetly.Julian clearly hadn’t expected me either. His brows furrowed. "What are you doing here?"I frowned. "The better question is—what are you doing here? I don’t rec
“Yes, I’m stupid! But what else can I do?” I said helplessly.Dolly went quiet for a moment on the other end of the line. “Forget it. That Pierse isn’t too bad. I’ll help this time. But Evelyn, don’t get involved with the Moore family again.”I nodded eagerly. “I know. I won’t touch anything else.”After getting my promise, Dolly asked, “By the way, tomorrow’s the second brand show for Elmwood. They contacted me asking for your number. They said they couldn’t reach you.”“What brand show?” I asked.Dolly smacked her head on the other end. “Ah, I forgot you lost your memory. You used to sponsor this niche brand. Now they’re doing better and better, and you’ve been their show sponsor every year. I remember you paid the sponsorship fees annually.”I had no memory of that, but Dolly sounded quite certain.A thought struck me. “Did I sponsor them under Moore Group’s name?”Dolly thought for a moment. “Probably. Back then you wanted to build some name recognition for Julian, so you sponsored
He cleared his throat. "But Miss White, are you sure you want to help Pierse? He’s still under eighteen, and custody and guardianship legally belong to the Moore family. This kind of thing rarely ends well for the person trying to help."I gave an awkward smile. "I know. My plan is to pick a school, then have him go back and talk it over with his family. “He’s in a rebellious phase right now. I really can’t just leave him to fend for himself. If I do, he’s going to spiral."The more I spoke, the heavier my heart felt.Ian looked at me with a complicated expression. "You really are a kind person, Miss White. If Julian failed to keep you, that’s entirely his loss."I managed a tight smile.Skipping the small talk, we quickly settled on a school thanks to Ian’s help.It was an international school that was established for twenty years. It had an excellent reputation, and after graduation, students could transition smoothly into overseas programs with direct guidance for studying abroad.
With things spiraling the way they had, both of us were a little dazed.Once Pierse snapped out of it, he grinned and grabbed my hand. "Eve, from now on, I’m sticking with you."Sticking with me?I let out a helpless smile. "You’re not even eighteen. Your mom and brother are still around. It’s really not my place to take care of you."Pierse waved it off like it meant nothing. "They don’t care about me anyway. Whether I live or die, it’s all the same to them. So, I might as well stay with you."He seemed to have found a new sense of purpose, full of enthusiasm. "Eve, I can work. I’ll find a job and earn my own money. You don’t need to give me anything."I sighed. "Don’t talk nonsense. Just remember, you’re still a minor. Your mom or your brother can come take you away anytime."He didn’t seem the least bit concerned.Seeing that I couldn’t reason with him, I decided to take him for a meal first.A teenage boy really had big appetite.I brought Pierse to a restaurant and watched him dev
I pretended not to care. "He was just a kid who didn’t know any better. Now that he understands, I don’t mind treating him like my brother again."Julian looked moved.He took a step forward. "Eve, you’ve changed. You’re more understanding now, more mature."I took a step back in disgust. "Mr. Moore, if you have something to say, say it. Don’t come any closer."The light in Julian’s eyes dimmed slightly at my words. "Eve, I just wanted to explain what happened with Chloe and the baby...""Stop!" I covered my ears. "I don’t want to hear it."I glared at him, unable to hold back anymore. "Mr. Moore, don’t assume I’m so generous that I’ll accept any kind of garbage or that I care to hear about your filthy mess in detail, alright?"I’ve told you so many times. I don’t love you anymore. You mean nothing to me now. I want a divorce! I don’t want to know anything about you and Chloe!"Julian looked stunned by my outburst.He stared at me strangely. "Eve, you really don’t love me anymore? If y