When he arrived, the living room was dimly lit, with only the soft glow of a floor lamp casting warm, golden light.I stood alone by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring blankly at the city below, where endless streams of headlights weaved through the rain-slicked streets.Outside, the rain fell in a steady, quiet drizzle.Behind me, the sound of footsteps, calm, measured, and controlled, broke the silence."Why are you still up this late?"His familiar voice was cool, even colder than the rainy night outside.Through the reflection in the glass, I saw Miles standing behind me.In the window’s faint outline, our figures overlapped—like two lovers locked in a quiet embrace.I turned to face him, my gaze steady. "Miles, can you do me a favor?"My directness caught him slightly off guard.I handed him the invitation.His brows furrowed as he took it. "How did you get this?"I briefly explained Chloe’s visit.For a fleeting moment, a sharp, icy look flashed across Miles’s face. He was und
That night, I slept soundly with no dreams, just peaceful rest.I didn’t know if Miles would agree to be my date, but I had already handed him the decision.It was no longer my problem to stress over.The next morning, as soon as I woke up, I instinctively reached for my phone.There were several missed calls from an unknown number.A handful of new friend requests on my messaging app.My eyes darkened. Without hesitation, I blocked them all.There was a solid 70 to 80 percent chance these were just Julian’s latest attempts to reach me through different numbers.I wanted nothing to do with him. Every time we spoke, he acted like he was above me, like he was indulging me.It was time to get a new phone number.With that decision made, I got up, went through my morning routine, and headed out for breakfast.Dolly was already up, sitting at the table with Mary, chatting while eating.As soon as she saw me, she waggled her brows dramatically. "Oh, our esteemed Miss White, do you have an
Rossie strutted into the room, dragging along a man in a loud floral shirt.The guy had a round belly, greasy skin riddled with acne, and despite clearly being past his prime, he was still trying to dress like a trendy young man.Dolly’s patience snapped. "Rossie, what the hell are you doing here?"Rossie smirked and patted the man's shoulder, her voice shrill with arrogance. "I’m here with my boyfriend to pick out a little gift. What, you two don’t want these things, but I can’t take a look?"Dolly scoffed. "Oh, a new boyfriend, huh? And he brought you here to get a gift? Guess he thinks secondhand suits you."Rossie’s carefully made-up face twisted with anger.She let out a sharp breath. "If you can be here, why can’t I? What, is window shopping illegal now?"I could see another argument brewing, so I quickly tugged Dolly back before things escalated.Still fuming, she turned to the appraiser. "Tell this woman to get lost. She’s ruining my mood."The appraiser looked uncomfortable.
This time, the floral-shirted man completely ignored Rossie’s darkening expression and immediately said, "Babe, let’s just buy this one. Look, she’s never even worn it. If we went to the boutique, they’d rip us off."It was clear that Rossie hadn’t actually come here to buy jewelry. She had no intention of making a purchase.She only dragged this man along to try and humiliate me.Unfortunately for her, he wasn’t catching on and had unknowingly ruined her little scheme.Dolly instantly understood what was happening.She fanned the flames, adding, "Exactly! This gentleman is absolutely right. Designer pieces like this lose value the second they leave the boutique. “Anyone who buys them at full price is just throwing money away. What a shame…"She sighed dramatically before flashing Rossie a sly smile. "But hey, it can’t be helped. My dear Eve used to be with someone who loved wasting money like that. “She’s not getting rid of these because she dislikes them, she just wants to trade
Rossie’s face turned an alarming shade of red as she glared at the limited-edition necklaces in my hand.I could practically see the internal battle waging inside her.The ones I had pulled aside were rare, hard-to-find pieces. If she wanted them, she had to accept my price. And if she didn’t snatch them up now, someone else would, and by tomorrow, she’d lose her chance at getting them for anything less than retail.The appraiser finished calculating and handed me the final number: $90,600.I was satisfied and quickly signed the sale agreement.On the other hand, Rossie was fuming, practically stomping her foot in frustration.In the end, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and buy two of my necklaces—one for $4,000, the other for $7,000.The moment she strutted out, clinging to her floral-shirted boyfriend, Dolly and I nearly doubled over, struggling to hold back our laughter.She grabbed my arm, still giggling. "You’re evil! How did you know Rossie would definitely end up buyin
Julian dragged me away so quickly that all I could hear was Dolly’s furious shouting fading into the distance.He drove fast, too fast.Without a seatbelt, I was tossed around in the back seat, forced to clutch the back of the passenger seat just to stay upright.My eyes burned red in fury. "Julian, are you insane?! I’m calling the police!"His expression was dark, his grip on the steering wheel tight. His gaze stayed locked on the road, cold and sharp."Go ahead," he said, voice laced with mockery. "Tell them your lawful husband took you home. See if they care."I reached for my purse, but before I could grab it, he slammed the brakes.My head whipped forward, crashing into the seat in front of me.A sharp pain exploded in my skull, and for a moment, my vision went black.I struggled to keep my eyes open, but my body betrayed me, succumbing to the dizziness.As the darkness swallowed me, I instinctively reached for my phone, only to come up empty.Then everything faded.…When I woke
Tears welled up, slowly filling my eyes before spilling over, one by one, tracing cold paths down my cheeks.Julian took my hand, his grip firm yet coaxing. "Eve, stop being stubborn. Over the past five years, how many times have you threatened divorce? “And in the end, haven’t we always been fine? I’m not divorcing you. No matter what, I never will."I yanked my hand away and asked coldly, "Fine. Then leave Chloe. Never see her again. Not once in your entire life."His expression froze.I let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "What’s wrong? Can’t do it? If you can’t, then don’t talk to me about love. Julian, you disgust me."Strangely, after I said that, his expression softened instead of darkening."Eve, Chloe and I grew up together. We’ve known each other since childhood. You can’t expect me to just cut her off completely. Even if we’re only friends, I will see her again."I scoffed. "Right. So, you publicly flirt with her. You gave her that pink diamond she’s been dreaming about. You l
Julian hadn't expected me to hit him.He clutched his face, staring at me in disbelief.I let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Talk? About what? Whether I get to be with you on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays while Chloe takes Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays? "Or should we talk about how much of the hundred million dollars I gave you five years ago you're feeling generous enough to return? Ten million? Twenty?"Julian, there’s nothing left for us to talk about. And I don’t want to talk to you."I shoved him aside and turned to leave, but before I could take a step, his arms snapped around my waist—tight, unyielding.In the next second, I was lifted off the ground.Panic shot through me, and I screamed, "Let me go!"Julian said nothing, hauling me back into the bedroom like I weighed nothing.The door slammed shut. The lock clicked.Before I could fully process what was happening, he threw me onto the bed.I bounced against the mattress, momentarily stunned, my head spinning.Just as
But what did she say?Julian’s grip tightened around the charm, his fingers curling into it as pain filled his eyes...."Julian, I know there’s nothing I can do for you… Just keep this charm. They say the priest there is the real deal. You’re not supposed to throw it away once it’s been blessed.""Julian, I don’t care if you ever become rich or powerful. I just want you to be safe."That foolish woman had clutched the charm in her hands, smiling at him with such innocence and blind faith....The knot dug into his palm, sharp enough to hurt. Julian opened his hand, then closed it tightly around it again.Chloe, who had been rambling on, finally noticed something was off.She caught sight of the charm in his hand and scoffed. "What is that? It looks so tacky."She reached over, trying to take a closer look.Julian quickly slipped it into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.Chloe’s eyes narrowed. "Did she give you that?"He started the car, his voice flat. "No. I got it myself. Some p
Julian looked at me, confused.I took a deep breath. "Julian, stop. I know why you're apologizing. You're doing this for Chloe’s child, right? You just don’t want things to get ugly."He lowered his head, then gave a small nod. "Yes, that’s part of it... but I really…"I cut him off quickly. "Don’t. Goodbye, Mr. Moore."Without looking back, I turned and got into the car.Miles noticed something was off the moment he saw my face. "What did he say?"I steadied myself. "He wants to settle everything privately. He doesn’t want it to go to court."Miles glanced toward Julian’s lonely figure in the distance, his eyes flickering."You okay?" he asked.I shook my head. "I’m fine."He paused, then handed me a tissue. "If it hurts, just cry."I looked at him, my eyes dry. "I can’t cry. But why do I still feel so awful?"His gaze softened. "Julian's pulling all this to protect his pride because of Chloe’s child, isn’t he?"I drew in a shaky breath. "Yeah. He apologized, but in the end, it’s still
Julian's expression darkened as he stared at me. "Evelyn, I thought you said you loved me? And yet here you are with Miles already—what, were you two sneaking around while we were together?"Without thinking, I slapped him.He grabbed my wrist, sneering coldly. "Did I strike a nerve?"I laughed in anger. "I shouldn’t have let Miles in the car earlier. If I hadn’t, the one slapping you right now would’ve been him."Julian let go of my hand and said coolly, "Enough nonsense. Evelyn, dragging this to court would just be a spectacle. After five years of marriage, I don’t want things to end like this."Was he trying to reconcile?I forced down my fury and asked, "What do you have in mind?"Julian hesitated, his gaze complicated. "I’ll return everything that belongs to you... just give me some time."I was stunned.I hadn’t expected Julian, who always seemed so tough, to willingly give up fighting and hand over what I deserved.I went quiet. "Alright. How much time do you need?"Julian tugged
Julian blurted out, “What?!”Then, snapping out of his shock, his face twisted with fury. “Miles Wynn, what the hell do you mean by that?!”Miles smiled, calm and unbothered. “Nothing more than the truth.”Julian’s voice rose, livid. “Truth? This is nothing but one of your dirty tricks!”Miles raised a brow, pretending to be confused. “Dirty? Hmm. I’d actually call it a fresh idea.”Julian’s already dark expression grew stormier.Chloe stood beside him, jaw clenched, eyes locked on us with thinly veiled rage. Suddenly, she cut in sharply, “But wasn’t it Miss White who transferred the 1.2 million to Elmwood?”Dolly stepped forward without missing a beat. “That money was loaned to Eve by me. Got a problem with that?”That shut them both up.I felt a wave of satisfaction rise in my chest. But I also knew Julian wasn’t going to let this slide so easily.Sure enough, he turned to me, eyes cold. “Eve, this is going to court anyway. You can spin the story however you want. We’ll see what the
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