I was utterly fed up and turned back with a cold sneer. "I'm not worthy, but you are, is that it? You’ve been dying to marry into the Wynn family, haven't you?"Kira's face twisted in anger as her hidden thoughts were exposed. Enraged, she lashed out. "Evelyn, you shameless bitch! Do you think everyone is as despicable as you?"A sharp headache pulsed through my temples, my chest tightening. I had no desire to argue with her. I turned on my heel to leave.But Kira refused to let it go, grabbing my arm. "You're not leaving until you explain yourself!"She yanked me so hard that I stumbled, my dress slipping at the neckline, exposing my bare shoulder under the sunlight. I quickly pulled it back up.I snapped, "What the hell are you doing?!"Kira flinched. The last time she shoved me, she was thrown out of the Wynn household. That memory still haunted her. Now, she was much more restrained, not daring to lay another hand on me."Oh my, where did this fiery beauty come from? I quite l
He leaned in closer, and a faint floral fragrance drifted from him.I turned my head away.Everything about this man screamed flirt.I had no doubt that if he really turned up the charm, few women could resist him.I instinctively took a step back. "Mr. Wynn, you've misunderstood. I'm not your brother’s woman."As soon as I said it, my face heated up. In my eighteen years of life, I had never spoken so boldly before.And against someone like him—smooth, flirtatious, and absurdly good-looking—I had absolutely no countermeasures.Trey caught on immediately.He deliberately lowered his head, his breath tickling my ear. "If you’re not my brother’s woman, why don’t you be mine?"The warmth of his breath sent a shiver down my spine, and I hurriedly took two steps back.My face burned so hot I was sure it could melt. "Mr. Wynn, have some respect. I… I’m not here to make that kind of acquaintance."A sudden thought flashed in my mind, and I added, "You know my name is Evelyn White, so you sho
“It’s me.”I heard a gentle voice, soothing in the darkness.The bedside lamp clicked on, casting a warm, golden glow over his face.It was Miles.I wiped my face in a daze, only to realize it was covered in tears.Without a word, Miles stood up, fetched a warm towel, and carefully wiped my face.“You had a nightmare. You were crying the whole time.”I asked, “Did I say anything?”He gazed at me deeply. “I heard you calling for your parents… and your brother.”A lump formed in my throat.So, it really had just been a dream.Miles studied my expression. “Are you feeling better now?”I nodded, but a sense of emptiness lingered.After a moment of silence, I suddenly asked, “Miles, you knew the White family cut ties with me, didn’t you?”His hand paused for a brief second. Then, after a long moment, he responded with a quiet “Mm.”I let out a bitter laugh. “None of you told me.”His expression remained calm. “Telling you wouldn’t have changed anything. People have to keep moving forward.”
I lowered my head, avoiding his gaze. Miles suddenly asked, “Kira and Trey came today?” I was stunned. I hadn’t expected him to bring that up. I nodded. He asked, “Did they say anything unpleasant to you?” I shook my head. “Really?” he pressed. I shook my head again. Miles studied me for a long moment before finally responding with a simple, “Alright. Go upstairs and rest.” I hesitated, standing there, the words I had been rehearsing all afternoon suddenly stuck in my throat. Noticing I hadn’t moved, Miles turned back. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Or do you have something to tell me?” I quickly shook my head. “No, nothing. It’s nothing.” With that, I hurried upstairs. Just as I reached the stairs, his voice rang out behind me. “Don’t listen to anything Kira says. And as for Trey, just ignore him.” I nodded absentmindedly. Then he added, “Once I’ve finished dealing with things tomorrow, I’ll arrange for you to stay somewhere else.” I froze. Mi
Dolly quickly comforted me. “Eve, don’t be upset. Family bonds run deep. Once you divorce Julian and reclaim what’s rightfully yours, you can reach out to your parents and your brother. “If you sincerely apologize, they’ll surely forgive you.”A glimmer of hope sparked in my heart. “Do you really think so?” “Of course! No matter what, you’re still their daughter. Your parents are getting older, and your brother only has you as his sister.“They were probably just disappointed in you before. If you show them you’ve changed, they’ll forgive you.” Her words gave me a little confidence. She was right. My parents and brother had loved and spoiled me when I was younger. They couldn’t possibly abandon me for good. As long as I cut ties with Julian, they would forgive me. Even if they didn’t forgive me immediately, at least they wouldn’t completely sever our relationship. Family bonds could be repaired over time, but this marriage—I had to end it as soon as possible. Dolly a
He smirked, his expression unreadable. “If she really does become my sister-in-law, now that would be interesting.”Kira fumed. “Trey, can you seriously tolerate someone like her stepping into the Wynn family?”He glanced at her. “Why? Are you jealous?”Kira quickly covered up. “No! That’s not what I meant. I just think someone like Evelyn is trash—who would want her?!”Trey’s smirk deepened. “I don’t think she’s trash. In fact, I think she’s quite interesting.”Kira was so furious she couldn’t even find the words to respond.Then, as if a thought suddenly struck her, she narrowed her eyes. “Wait… don’t tell me you have an interest in her too?”Instead of answering, Trey lazily gestured for the group of young women nearby to come over.With sweet giggles, they skipped toward him, their voices soft and flirtatious.Whatever they whispered in his ear made him chuckle. He casually pulled two of them into his arms and planted playful kisses on each of their cheeks.The tennis court filled
This apartment was in the prime district of Riverdale’s CBD, surrounded by hospitals, banks, and supermarkets.More importantly, its interior design matched my taste perfectly—simple, modern, with sleek, designer furniture. The sofa and dining set were brand new, their stylish aesthetic effortlessly blending with the space.After wandering through the apartment, I sprawled out on the massive king-sized bed and called Dolly.The line was busy.I muttered, “She’s really swamped.”Just then, my phone rang—it was Miles.I quickly answered, “Hello? Miles?”His crisp, steady voice came through the line. “Sean told me you’ve set your sights on the high-rise apartment?”“Yeah. Everything here is so convenient. Even if I get hungry in the middle of the night, I wouldn’t need to order takeout—there are restaurants just a short walk away.” Then I hesitated before adding, “Miles, let me rent this place from you, okay? I have the money now.”There was a pause on the other end.“Rent?” His voice c
His voice was slow, deliberate. “Evelyn, can we not get a divorce?”For a second, I thought I had misheard.I hadn’t even responded when Julian spoke again, his tone both weary and frustrated. “Evelyn, let’s talk this through properly. Don’t treat divorce like a joke.”I remained silent.Sensing my lack of response, he pressed on. “I admit that I married you out of spite back then, but we’ve been through five years together. We’ve weathered storms. Why can’t we just… stay married?”His voice softened, filled with a kind of forced tenderness. “Eve, I know I’ve let you down in many ways. But stop this, okay? Come back.”I hung up.Then, without hesitation, I blocked the number.I calmly walked back upstairs, looking at the piles of untouched luxury goods scattered around the room.Pulling out my phone, I downloaded the resale app Dolly had recommended. One by one, I took pictures of everything and listed them for sale.At eighteen, I wanted a passionate, all-consuming love.At twenty-fi
The moment I saw that elegant, refined face, so striking it felt almost divine, every bit of the frustration I’d buried surged to the surface.Without a second thought, I rushed into his arms. “Miles!”Warmth enveloped me, and the familiar clean scent of pine wrapped around my senses. My eyes stung instantly.Miles lowered his head, chuckling softly. “What’s wrong? You look like a little bunny with those red eyes.”Feeling embarrassed, I gave his chest a light smack. “Why are you here?”He studied my face carefully, then gently brushed his fingers across my cheek. “I heard someone was picking on my darling, so I came running.”That warmth spread through my chest, overflowing, making it hard to hold back tears.He leaned down, his voice low in my ear. “Don’t cry, silly girl.”Then he straightened and looked around the room.His gaze passed over Sarah and Dolly, finally landing on Julian.Julian instinctively straightened his back.He stepped forward, voice laced with sarcasm. “What brin
I turned to Sarah with an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry, Miss Care. It seems I’m not in a position to work with your company until I sort out my personal matters.”Sarah shook her head regretfully. “Please don’t apologize. Our company is moving forward with expansion this year. We’ve already allocated the available investment slots. If you decide not to invest… we’ll have to open the opportunity to others.”She gave me a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, Miss White. But once this window closes, there will be no further opportunity.”I offered a bitter smile and nodded. “I understand.”Dolly was so angry, she could barely hold back a choked sob. “That shameless bastard… absolutely shameless!”I squeezed her hand, silently telling her it was time to go.Julian stepped in front of us, blocking the way. His expression was conflicted, and when he spoke, his voice was softer than I’d ever heard it.“Eve, maybe we can talk this through.”“Julian, you… you’re still not done?” Chloe’s voice r
The moment I heard those words, a rush of blood surged to my head.My ears rang, and that all-too-familiar wave of dizziness came crashing back.I barely registered Dolly's voice rising in fury. “Julian Moore, do you have no shame? You really dare say that was marital property?! Eve paid for it herself! You… you're absolutely disgusting!”I could barely stay on my feet, the world tilting around me.“Dolly… I…” I whispered weakly.She quickly caught me and helped me sit down.I took a few deep breaths to steady myself, then looked up at Julian. And for a split second, though maybe it was the dizziness playing tricks on me, I thought I saw a flicker of concern flash through his eyes.Sarah noticed something was off and immediately stepped in. “Miss White, don’t worry. We can take this slowly.”I fought to calm my pounding heart and spoke, voice steady but cold. “What exactly is it that you want, Mr. Moore?”Julian hesitated for a moment, but soon the polished businessman returned to his
She was the one with the real foresight, not me. But now, just to help me leave a good impression on Sarah, she gave me all the credit.Sarah looked at me and smiled thoughtfully. “Turns out people really can change. To be honest, three years ago, I didn’t have the best impression of you, Miss White.”I felt a twinge of guilt. “Was I arrogant back then? I’m sorry…”She shook her head. “No, it wasn’t arrogance. It was… well, your reputation at the time. Let’s just say it wasn’t great. “Within our team, your sponsorship actually stirred up a lot of debate. Some people felt it wasn’t a good look to accept money from someone with such a controversial name.”I cringed. “Ah... I see.”She went on. “But others argued that if someone had the money and was willing to help us through a rough patch, we’d be fools not to take it.”The discomfort on my face deepened.So even a struggling little startup like Elmwood had once hesitated to take my money. My reputation back then must’ve really been
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