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
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
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
The next morning, I was getting ready when I got a call from Dolly.Her gossip radar was in full swing. "Eve! Open the video. Hurry, hurry! You have to watch Julian slapping that mistress, Chloe!"I replied weakly, "What’s there to watch?" I’d already seen it all last night.Dolly gasped through the phone. "What? Not worth watching? Are you kidding me? Evelyn White, I’m warning you—watch it now or we’re done being friends!"I gave in with a sigh. "You’d cut me off over this? Fine, I’ll send you the first-row footage."I casually forwarded her the video I’d taken last night.Five minutes later, Dolly’s scream echoed through the call. "Ahhh! That whole scene happened right outside your place?! What the hell were they doing? Acting out some kind of tragic romance?""And wait, Chloe’s pregnant? Since when? Did she sneak in while you were in the hospital and Julian was there too? No... something’s off..."I finished getting ready while she rambled on and said, "I don’t know how Chloe got pr
Since I was already in the system as a former student and graduate of Hilton University, getting an audit pass just meant pulling up my old records. As the teacher processed it, they suddenly said, "You’re really eager to learn, aren’t you? Want to sign up for another one?"I asked, "Another what?"They thought for a second. "Are you interested in architecture?"I blinked. "What’s special about architecture?"The teacher leaned in, clearly trying to sound mysterious. "Word is, a world-renowned architect will be joining us soon as a visiting professor. Once the news is out, everyone’s going to want a spot in that class. But right now, hardly anyone knows."They smiled. "You seem like the studious type. Want me to sign you up?"I thought it over. "Alright. Not too many classes, right?"The teacher shook their head. "Not at all. About four sessions a month, roughly once a week."That sounded manageable, so I nodded.Then they added, "And if you attend the visiting professor’s lectures,
After getting the audit pass, there wasn't much else to worry about.Just then, Sharon called.Her voice was gentle over the phone. "Eve, are you feeling better?""I'm much better now," I replied.She chuckled. "You must be bored stiff in the hospital. Come hang out at my place. I’ll introduce you to some freelance work. I can’t let you stay idlefor too long."And that was that.Dolly and I drove over to her gallery.Sharon, as always, looked stylish and refined. She wore shimmering tassel earrings that gave her a graceful, alluring charm.I couldn’t help comparing her to Chloe.Chloe had that delicate, sweet look—soft and refined in her own way.But Sharon gave off the vibe of a confident, independent woman. Smart, capable, and still every bit feminine. Both were undeniably attractive in their own right—the kind of women who’d leave a lasting impression. But Sharon had the more dignified air, and her smile was confident and warm.That made me start questioning my brother’s taste.
Sharon paused in surprise. "You two know each other?"The handsome man walked over, grinning as he looked straight at me. "How could we not? We’re practically family. It’d be awkward if we don’t know each other."Sharon laughed. "You..."It was obvious she had no idea who he really was.I said, "He’s Mr. Wynn’s younger brother."Now it was Sharon’s turn to be stunned. "What? Peter, you're Mr. Wynn’s brother?"Trey raised a brow, amusement flickering in his eyes as he touched his striking, mixed-featured face. "What? Don’t I look the part?"Realization dawned on her. "No wonder! I kept thinking how much you looked like Miles. I just figured good-looking guys all shared the same template."She gave him a playful smack on the arm. "This is your fault! You introduced yourself as Peter and didn’t say a word about who you really were. “You just let me make a fool of myself in front of Eve!"Trey chuckled. "Well, now you know, don’t you?"He said it lazily, like he hadn’t fully woken up yet
Trey gave a half-smile. "Oh, maybe I am a little."He ran a hand along his sharp jawline, eyes fixed on me. "But what can I do if I just can’t help myself?"He suddenly leaned in, and I sucked in a breath as he backed me up against the wall.His striking face loomed close, and that damned cologne hit me straight in the nose.I held my breath, as if even breathing might encourage this man who was clearly committed to being a menace.Trey stared at me for a long moment, then suddenly broke into a lazy smile."You’re really something, you know that? The more I talk to you, the more intrigued I get."I shot him a glare. "If you’re here to buy a painting, then pick one yourself. I don’t know anything about art. I’m heading upstairs."I turned to leave the studio.It was just the two of us in there—alone, behind closed doors. This was not exactly the safest setup."Hold on!" Trey called out.I looked back. He picked up a painting and was examining it closely."Since you're working part-tim
After a few more remarks, Miles realized Trey wasn’t taking anything he said seriously, so he gave up scolding him altogether.Instead, he turned to me. “How much did Trey spend on paintings today?”I hesitated for a moment before giving him the number.Miles shot Trey a cold look.Trey raised an eyebrow, half amused. “What’s with that look, bro? A little over two hundred grand isn’t that much, is it? Evelyn made forty-eight grand off me. I was just showing her some support!”Miles corrected him sharply, “Don’t call her Evelyn so casually.”Trey laughed. “Then what should I call her? Eve?”Miles’ tone was serious. “She’s your future sister-in-law. You can either call her Miss White or address her with more respect.”I wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow me whole.Trey chuckled. “That’s really bold of you, bro. I never thought someone like you, who usually acts like women don’t exist, would fall so hard. It’s like watching a cold furnace suddenly roar to life.
I cautiously broke the silence. “We're going for fine dining... at...” I gave him the name of the place.Miles’ voice came through, cold as ever. “Fine dining? Is that place really that good?”I was speechless.One second later, his voice dropped to freezing. “I’ll see you there in twenty minutes. Trey, you’d better behave.”Then he hung up.A strange silence settled in the car.Trey kept driving, his expression unreadable—somewhere between amused and indifferent. I couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or entertained.I ventured carefully, “Maybe your brother’s just in a bad mood today.”Trey turned the wheel with a light laugh. “Him? It’d be a miracle if he even has moods.”“Why?”He whistled. “He barely has emotions to begin with. I always say he’s basically a money-making robot.”A robot? I was speechless. These two brothers clearly didn’t have the warmest impression of each other....Before long, we arrived at the restaurant.Just as we parked, an attendant was already waiting b
What I didn’t know was that Trey and Sharon exchanged a glance, both of them smiling meaningfully."Evelyn, since you’ve sold some paintings and you made a fortune, how about treating me to a meal?" Trey grinned at me.I nodded right away. "Sure, my treat!"Trey probably hadn’t expected me to agree so quickly. He froze for a second.Then he laughed. "Alright, let’s go for the most expensive fine dining restaurant."As soon as I heard the word "most expensive," I quickly asked, "How expensive are we talking?"Sharon couldn’t hold it in anymore and gave me a light smack. "Silly girl, expensive or not, you still have to treat him! Trey’s basically a walking goldmine!"Realization hit me. "Okay, I’ll treat. No matter how expensive it is!"Trey looked a little thrown off by how serious I was.He let out an awkward laugh. "Alright, let’s go."I happily followed after him.Today, Trey drove a Ferrari, different color from the one before.I placed the paintings in the trunk and they fit perfe
Trey gave a half-smile. "Oh, maybe I am a little."He ran a hand along his sharp jawline, eyes fixed on me. "But what can I do if I just can’t help myself?"He suddenly leaned in, and I sucked in a breath as he backed me up against the wall.His striking face loomed close, and that damned cologne hit me straight in the nose.I held my breath, as if even breathing might encourage this man who was clearly committed to being a menace.Trey stared at me for a long moment, then suddenly broke into a lazy smile."You’re really something, you know that? The more I talk to you, the more intrigued I get."I shot him a glare. "If you’re here to buy a painting, then pick one yourself. I don’t know anything about art. I’m heading upstairs."I turned to leave the studio.It was just the two of us in there—alone, behind closed doors. This was not exactly the safest setup."Hold on!" Trey called out.I looked back. He picked up a painting and was examining it closely."Since you're working part-tim
Sharon paused in surprise. "You two know each other?"The handsome man walked over, grinning as he looked straight at me. "How could we not? We’re practically family. It’d be awkward if we don’t know each other."Sharon laughed. "You..."It was obvious she had no idea who he really was.I said, "He’s Mr. Wynn’s younger brother."Now it was Sharon’s turn to be stunned. "What? Peter, you're Mr. Wynn’s brother?"Trey raised a brow, amusement flickering in his eyes as he touched his striking, mixed-featured face. "What? Don’t I look the part?"Realization dawned on her. "No wonder! I kept thinking how much you looked like Miles. I just figured good-looking guys all shared the same template."She gave him a playful smack on the arm. "This is your fault! You introduced yourself as Peter and didn’t say a word about who you really were. “You just let me make a fool of myself in front of Eve!"Trey chuckled. "Well, now you know, don’t you?"He said it lazily, like he hadn’t fully woken up yet
After getting the audit pass, there wasn't much else to worry about.Just then, Sharon called.Her voice was gentle over the phone. "Eve, are you feeling better?""I'm much better now," I replied.She chuckled. "You must be bored stiff in the hospital. Come hang out at my place. I’ll introduce you to some freelance work. I can’t let you stay idlefor too long."And that was that.Dolly and I drove over to her gallery.Sharon, as always, looked stylish and refined. She wore shimmering tassel earrings that gave her a graceful, alluring charm.I couldn’t help comparing her to Chloe.Chloe had that delicate, sweet look—soft and refined in her own way.But Sharon gave off the vibe of a confident, independent woman. Smart, capable, and still every bit feminine. Both were undeniably attractive in their own right—the kind of women who’d leave a lasting impression. But Sharon had the more dignified air, and her smile was confident and warm.That made me start questioning my brother’s taste.
Since I was already in the system as a former student and graduate of Hilton University, getting an audit pass just meant pulling up my old records. As the teacher processed it, they suddenly said, "You’re really eager to learn, aren’t you? Want to sign up for another one?"I asked, "Another what?"They thought for a second. "Are you interested in architecture?"I blinked. "What’s special about architecture?"The teacher leaned in, clearly trying to sound mysterious. "Word is, a world-renowned architect will be joining us soon as a visiting professor. Once the news is out, everyone’s going to want a spot in that class. But right now, hardly anyone knows."They smiled. "You seem like the studious type. Want me to sign you up?"I thought it over. "Alright. Not too many classes, right?"The teacher shook their head. "Not at all. About four sessions a month, roughly once a week."That sounded manageable, so I nodded.Then they added, "And if you attend the visiting professor’s lectures,
The next morning, I was getting ready when I got a call from Dolly.Her gossip radar was in full swing. "Eve! Open the video. Hurry, hurry! You have to watch Julian slapping that mistress, Chloe!"I replied weakly, "What’s there to watch?" I’d already seen it all last night.Dolly gasped through the phone. "What? Not worth watching? Are you kidding me? Evelyn White, I’m warning you—watch it now or we’re done being friends!"I gave in with a sigh. "You’d cut me off over this? Fine, I’ll send you the first-row footage."I casually forwarded her the video I’d taken last night.Five minutes later, Dolly’s scream echoed through the call. "Ahhh! That whole scene happened right outside your place?! What the hell were they doing? Acting out some kind of tragic romance?""And wait, Chloe’s pregnant? Since when? Did she sneak in while you were in the hospital and Julian was there too? No... something’s off..."I finished getting ready while she rambled on and said, "I don’t know how Chloe got pr
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