His voice was thick with congestion, and I couldn’t help but ask, “Julian, what’s wrong with you?” There was a hint of surprise and joy in his voice. “Eve, are you worried about me?” I quickly changed the subject. “I wanted to ask why you released that apology statement.” Julian’s voice dropped low. “Because I messed up. And I felt I owed you an apology.” I sighed. “That’s not necessary. Julian, you don’t have to humble yourself like this.” His voice was soft. “Eve, I truly know I was wrong. I didn’t realize how deeply I hurt you. That day at the beach, when I saw the look in your eyes… my heart shattered.” I cut him off immediately. “Don’t. I don’t want to hear any of that.” A chill ran down my spine because I wasn’t ready to face that dark chapter of my life. Even now, after all this time, just thinking about it made me want to disappear from this world. Julian murmured, “I’m sorry, Eve… I…” Feeling annoyed, I said, “You don’t need to apologize. I don’t want your
The next day, after my usual check-up, Sharon arrived. She brought a lot of health supplements and a few beautiful landscape paintings. With an apologetic tone, she said, “Miss White, I made a horrible mistake at the gallery the other day. It was my poor planning.” Then she took out a box from her bag. “This is for you too. It’s a set of premium freshwater pearls. I thought they’d suit your taste.”I politely declined. “You’re too kind, Miss York. I can accept the supplements, but this gift is too expensive.” She smiled. “Are you still being so polite with me? Do you think of me as an outsider?” I hesitated. I wasn’t sure what kind of relationship Nicholas had with Sharon. I didn’t want him to blame me when he found out I accepted the gift.Sharon noticed my hesitation. Sharp as ever, she caught on right away.With a warm smile, she said, “Oh, it’s really not that complicated. I just felt a connection with you and thought it’d be nice to think of you as a little sister.”I
I hadn’t expected Nicholas to reject Sharon because he was worried she might treat me badly one day. My eyes burned with emotion. “Nick… she wouldn’t.” He shot me a look. “Wouldn’t? You’re such a softie. You’d probably thank someone for pushing you around. You’ve got no eye for people. But I know what I’m doing. I’m not picking just anyone to be your sister-in-law.” Then he started piling all the best dishes onto my plate, urging me to hurry up and eat. A few minutes later, Miles walked in with a sleek, elegant food box in hand. Nicholas gave him a look. “About time you showed up—we’re already halfway through.” Miles placed the box beside me with a small smile. “I had this soup made specially for Eve. It’s for after the meal.” Nicholas finished eating in a few quick bites and said, “Don’t try to smooth things over for Sharon. That woman plays too many games.” Miles replied coolly, “You’re well into your thirties and still don’t have a girlfriend.” Nicholas rolled his
Sharon looked at the three of us and asked, “Are you two ganging up on Eve?” Nicholas frowned. “We’re not.” She glanced at me. “Then why is she crying like that?” No one answered. None of us knew how to explain it. Nicholas turned to her. “Just try to comfort her, don’t ask too much.” Sharon nodded. Then Nicholas and Miles stepped out of the room. ... I saw them out in the hallway, lighting cigarettes and talking with their backs to me. Sharon studied my expression carefully. “Are you upset because of Julian?” I looked down and stayed silent. She sighed. “He really did seem sincere yesterday when he apologized. For someone like him to say something like that in public… it wasn’t easy.” I wiped my eyes. “I don’t want to talk about him.” Sharon understood and nodded. “Alright, then let’s change the subject. How’s your leg? It’s healing well, right? What do you plan to do once you’re better?” I froze. I’d never even thought about that. “I guess… go back to
Miles turned to them. “I’m going in to check on Eve.” With that, he stepped into the hospital room. Nicholas started to follow but Sharon grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?” he asked. She smiled at him. “Mr. White, aren’t you going to walk me out?” Nicholas glanced toward the room, saw the two inside, and gave in. “Alright, alright. I’ll walk you out.” ... My leg was healing nicely, though it still needed plenty of rest.Michael personally removed the screws and, finally, the cast. He examined my leg carefully and said, “You’ve got to be more careful from now on, kiddo. With legs that pretty, another round of screws and you can kiss skirts goodbye.” I nodded quickly. He gave my leg another careful check, then handed me a prescription for ointments and some recovery supplements.I blinked. “Supplements too?”His expression darkened. “What, thinking of skipping them?”I grimaced. “Does it taste awful?”He raised an eyebrow. “It’s medicine. It’s not supposed to tast
I quickly slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch… My face is already red.”Miles stared at me, looking momentarily stunned by how flustered I wasThen, he burst into laughter.I panicked. “What are you laughing at?”Miles grinned. “You’ve been blushing this whole time?”I looked down, embarrassed. “I’m only eighteen, okay…?”Miles paused.“I really am eighteen!” I insisted.“I know…” he said, barely holding back a smile.I shot him a glare and buried my face in my hands, still blushing.“Miss White...” a familiar voice called out.I looked up and saw Chloe standing there in loose-fitting clothes.She looked completely different.Gone was her usual polished look—she wore a wide-brimmed sunhat, a black face mask that covered most of her face, and only her eyes were visible.She had on an oversized tiered dress and flats.If she hadn’t spoken, I wouldn’t have recognized her at all.I frowned. “Miss Clarke, what are you doing here?”Chloe pulled down her mask, looking like she finally let out
Miles gave me a small smile. “My silly girl has finally grown up.” ... The news of Chloe’s pregnancy rattled me the entire day. My mind felt foggy, lost in a daze. I couldn’t understand how she could be pregnant—it just didn’t make sense. As soon as Dolly heard the news, she called Julian. And just as expected, she absolutely tore into him over the phone, cursing out his entire family tree. When she hung up, fuming, she turned to me and said, “Eve, don’t worry. Let those two losers rot together. Julian basically got zero chance of showing his face around you now.”A dull ache started to form in my head. I rubbed my temples and sighed. “I really don’t want to know anything about it.” Dolly, worried I might spiral, rushed to comfort me. It took a good deal of convincing to make her believe I wasn’t heartbroken; I was just genuinely surprised Chloe would pull a stunt like this. James showed up shortly after, looking rushed. He didn’t even put down his briefcase befo
I was right. Julian showed up. And not only did he show up, but he also refused to leave. I told the security office I didn’t want to see him and asked them to escort him out. But half an hour later, they called me again. “Miss White, we’re really sorry, but could you come down and speak with him yourself? He just won’t leave. We’ve tried everything.” I was annoyed. “Can’t you call the police? I don’t care if he’s loitering. He’s not someone I want to see.” The guard hesitated. “Miss White, what reason would we give the police? He’s not causing a scene, and… well, he seems like someone important. We don’t have the authority to physically remove him.” That only made my frustration worse. The guard kept trying to talk me into coming down, throwing in all kinds of reassurances—saying next time, they’d leave him out in the cold, no matter who he was. After thinking it over, I threw on a coat and went downstairs. Sure enough, there he was. Julian stood in the lobby, l
I pulled my foot back and quietly watched the two figures standing in the rain.The woman who stepped out of the red car was Chloe.I let out a bitter smile—who else could it be but Chloe? Who else would be clinging to Julian, sobbing like her life depended on it?Chloe kept holding onto Julian’s arm, crying. "Say something! Julian, don’t do this, please... I swear I’m not lying, I’m really pregnant."I silently turned on my phone's camera and aimed it at them.Julian stood there motionless, letting Chloe tug at his hand. His eyes gazed past the rain and mist, fixed on the building. I knew he was looking at my place.Something stirred in my chest. It didn’t hurt.It wasn’t agonizing, but it was far from comfortable.Then I heard Julian’s voice, cold as the rain. "Chloe, I told you a long time ago. We're over. Why can’t you accept that?"Chloe's wailing grew louder, nothing like her usual composed and elegant self. Her sobs echoed through the rainy night, full of sorrow. "Julia
Everything Julian wanted to say got stuck in his throat. I let out a cold laugh and turned to leave. This time, he didn’t follow me. But when I rounded the corner, I couldn’t help glancing back. He was still standing in the gazebo, looking hollowed-out and broken. Anyone who didn’t know the truth might’ve been moved by the sight. However, I wasn’t moved. Not even a little. ... Back in my apartment, Mary had already gone home but left me a bowl of soup. I wanted to eat, but after a few bites, I felt nauseous. No, I wasn’t pregnant—I was sure of that. But the wave of physical discomfort still hit hard. The place was quiet and empty. Dolly had already moved out, and Miles, respecting my space, never pushed to live with me. Still… tonight, staring blankly out the floor-to-ceiling windows, I felt the silence settle in deeper than usual. Then I saw it. Down on the street below, a car was parked. Someone sat beside it, smoking. The building wasn’t that high, a
Julian's gaze grew sharper, his tone icy. “Eve, let me warn you. You’re still my wife. If you’re getting close to another man just to get back at me, fine. But being pregnant…”I cut him off with a cold laugh. “Oh, I see, so being pregnant is your dealbreaker now?”His eyes darkened so much they looked nearly murderous, like he might snap and strangle me right there. He hissed, “Stop making a scene, Eve. Are you pregnant or not? Whose child is it?” A sharp pain pounded through my head. I should never have come down here. I stood up, ready to leave, but Julian lunged forward and blocked my way in just a few strides. I stared at him coldly. “What are you trying to do, Mr. Moore?” He suddenly grabbed my wrist. “Eve, just tell me the truth! Are you pregnant?” I couldn’t take it anymore. I smacked his hand away hard. “What the hell is wrong with you? No, I’m not pregnant! I’m not shameless like you!” The words burst out of me, and it felt like a weight finally lifted. Ju
I was right. Julian showed up. And not only did he show up, but he also refused to leave. I told the security office I didn’t want to see him and asked them to escort him out. But half an hour later, they called me again. “Miss White, we’re really sorry, but could you come down and speak with him yourself? He just won’t leave. We’ve tried everything.” I was annoyed. “Can’t you call the police? I don’t care if he’s loitering. He’s not someone I want to see.” The guard hesitated. “Miss White, what reason would we give the police? He’s not causing a scene, and… well, he seems like someone important. We don’t have the authority to physically remove him.” That only made my frustration worse. The guard kept trying to talk me into coming down, throwing in all kinds of reassurances—saying next time, they’d leave him out in the cold, no matter who he was. After thinking it over, I threw on a coat and went downstairs. Sure enough, there he was. Julian stood in the lobby, l
Miles gave me a small smile. “My silly girl has finally grown up.” ... The news of Chloe’s pregnancy rattled me the entire day. My mind felt foggy, lost in a daze. I couldn’t understand how she could be pregnant—it just didn’t make sense. As soon as Dolly heard the news, she called Julian. And just as expected, she absolutely tore into him over the phone, cursing out his entire family tree. When she hung up, fuming, she turned to me and said, “Eve, don’t worry. Let those two losers rot together. Julian basically got zero chance of showing his face around you now.”A dull ache started to form in my head. I rubbed my temples and sighed. “I really don’t want to know anything about it.” Dolly, worried I might spiral, rushed to comfort me. It took a good deal of convincing to make her believe I wasn’t heartbroken; I was just genuinely surprised Chloe would pull a stunt like this. James showed up shortly after, looking rushed. He didn’t even put down his briefcase befo
I quickly slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch… My face is already red.”Miles stared at me, looking momentarily stunned by how flustered I wasThen, he burst into laughter.I panicked. “What are you laughing at?”Miles grinned. “You’ve been blushing this whole time?”I looked down, embarrassed. “I’m only eighteen, okay…?”Miles paused.“I really am eighteen!” I insisted.“I know…” he said, barely holding back a smile.I shot him a glare and buried my face in my hands, still blushing.“Miss White...” a familiar voice called out.I looked up and saw Chloe standing there in loose-fitting clothes.She looked completely different.Gone was her usual polished look—she wore a wide-brimmed sunhat, a black face mask that covered most of her face, and only her eyes were visible.She had on an oversized tiered dress and flats.If she hadn’t spoken, I wouldn’t have recognized her at all.I frowned. “Miss Clarke, what are you doing here?”Chloe pulled down her mask, looking like she finally let out
Miles turned to them. “I’m going in to check on Eve.” With that, he stepped into the hospital room. Nicholas started to follow but Sharon grabbed his arm. “What are you doing?” he asked. She smiled at him. “Mr. White, aren’t you going to walk me out?” Nicholas glanced toward the room, saw the two inside, and gave in. “Alright, alright. I’ll walk you out.” ... My leg was healing nicely, though it still needed plenty of rest.Michael personally removed the screws and, finally, the cast. He examined my leg carefully and said, “You’ve got to be more careful from now on, kiddo. With legs that pretty, another round of screws and you can kiss skirts goodbye.” I nodded quickly. He gave my leg another careful check, then handed me a prescription for ointments and some recovery supplements.I blinked. “Supplements too?”His expression darkened. “What, thinking of skipping them?”I grimaced. “Does it taste awful?”He raised an eyebrow. “It’s medicine. It’s not supposed to tast
Sharon looked at the three of us and asked, “Are you two ganging up on Eve?” Nicholas frowned. “We’re not.” She glanced at me. “Then why is she crying like that?” No one answered. None of us knew how to explain it. Nicholas turned to her. “Just try to comfort her, don’t ask too much.” Sharon nodded. Then Nicholas and Miles stepped out of the room. ... I saw them out in the hallway, lighting cigarettes and talking with their backs to me. Sharon studied my expression carefully. “Are you upset because of Julian?” I looked down and stayed silent. She sighed. “He really did seem sincere yesterday when he apologized. For someone like him to say something like that in public… it wasn’t easy.” I wiped my eyes. “I don’t want to talk about him.” Sharon understood and nodded. “Alright, then let’s change the subject. How’s your leg? It’s healing well, right? What do you plan to do once you’re better?” I froze. I’d never even thought about that. “I guess… go back to
I hadn’t expected Nicholas to reject Sharon because he was worried she might treat me badly one day. My eyes burned with emotion. “Nick… she wouldn’t.” He shot me a look. “Wouldn’t? You’re such a softie. You’d probably thank someone for pushing you around. You’ve got no eye for people. But I know what I’m doing. I’m not picking just anyone to be your sister-in-law.” Then he started piling all the best dishes onto my plate, urging me to hurry up and eat. A few minutes later, Miles walked in with a sleek, elegant food box in hand. Nicholas gave him a look. “About time you showed up—we’re already halfway through.” Miles placed the box beside me with a small smile. “I had this soup made specially for Eve. It’s for after the meal.” Nicholas finished eating in a few quick bites and said, “Don’t try to smooth things over for Sharon. That woman plays too many games.” Miles replied coolly, “You’re well into your thirties and still don’t have a girlfriend.” Nicholas rolled his