"The whole thing with Miranda," Nash began, his voice firm, "was because she once saved my life. I owed her a debt of gratitude. I didn’t explain before because I didn’t want to make things worse, and honestly, I don’t need to explain myself to anyone. But now, I’m committed to being with Nina, and I won’t tolerate anyone trying to slander or hurt her."He paused, glancing toward Remi. "As for the woman standing here today, she’s someone my biological father arranged for me to marry. From the start, I made my feelings clear that I don’t love her, and I never intended to marry her."He continued, "I appreciate your presence at my wedding to Nina, and I welcome it. But if you're here with any other intentions, there's nothing I can do about that."Nash’s tone sharpened. "I’ve said everything that needed to be said. Anything beyond this is not my concern, and I won’t be offering further explanations."With those final words, he signaled to Quincy, who arrived with security. Remi’s s
Nash pursed his lips, just about to say something, when Nina walked over. "Dad, I know about the fiancée. It was arranged by his biological father, and he never accepted it from the beginning."Zion frowned, "Are you sure you're not just covering for him?"Nina had always stood by Nash, even in the past when she did not ask for any title, not even a wedding. Nash had revealed in front of everyone that he was not part of the York family, making it clear how much Nina meant to him. He was willing to face public judgment just to protect her. The wedding was grand, and it was undoubtedly unforgettable.Nina smiled softly, "Dad, after everything we've been through, we have a child, and we’ve remarried. We’re a team now."Being a team meant helping each other out as a couple. Wasn’t that normal?"Nash, I'm warning you, don't you dare treat her like before, or I won’t let you off easy!" Zion’s stern gaze locked onto Nash.Nash tightened his arm around Nina's waist. "Don't worry, Fathe
Nina had also taken in Orion, not knowing he was her biological son, raising him as her own. Even Wilfred's presence was proof of her kind heart.Zion could see that Pharaoh genuinely cared for Nina. "Since you're in Birkham, why not stay for a while and enjoy yourself?" he suggested, knowing that they were all here for Nina’s sake. This made them allies, especially since Pharaoh was her real father.Pharaoh nodded. He had already made up his mind to stay close to his daughter and grandson.The wedding day had all the usual events, including the traditional wedding games. Nash had considered skipping that part, but decided against it. He thought that without it, the wedding would not feel complete. The guests engaged the couple in lighthearted games, making Nash and Nina the focus of teasing and playful challenges. They found themselves kissing multiple times to the delight and laughter of everyone around them. They even shared a traditional toast.The games lasted until 1 or 2 A
Freya's voice was raspy as she spoke. "Micah, we've had a good time together these past few weeks, haven’t we?"She stepped closer to him, tilting her head up to meet his gaze since he was much taller. His sharp features, like a perfectly sculpted work of art, were exactly the kind Freya was obsessed with.Micah pressed his lips together, his mind drifting back to their time together. It had indeed been enjoyable. Freya had never thrown tantrums and she was always considerate of him. But the weight of responsibility on his shoulders was immense. He was leading the Yaren Tribe people, and much of his future would be dedicated to them. In the end, wouldn’t he be neglecting Freya?"Freya, you agreed to a month. People should keep their promises," Micah said quietly, trying to use the idea of honoring commitments to steer her away from further attachment.Freya felt her throat tighten, her heart squeezed painfully. They say time reveals true feelings. Micah had seen her sincerity, ye
Freya nodded. "Birkham is such a great place, and being close to you is a bonus. I’ve thought about staying longer, but Micah and I need to return to Yaren Tribe to continue building our community. We’ll stay and enjoy the area for a little while, though.""Got it. If you're planning to travel, having the child with you would just be inconvenient. Let my brother show you around instead. Birkham has so many beautiful places to explore," Nina replied.Freya wanted to help, but Nina was also thinking about them. Freya had worked hard to earn this time with Micah, and Nina did not want that effort to go to waste.Nina said, "My father and Quincy can look after the child. You two just focus on enjoying yourselves."After waving goodbye, they got into the car, and suddenly Nash remembered something important. "How could I forget that?" Nash muttered, his expression turning serious.Nina looked at him, puzzled. "What did you forget?"Nash sighed. "I can't believe I overlooked this. I
Feeling a bit embarrassed by Nina's words, Freya looked down shyly. Micah's deep voice broke the silence. "Since we’ve run into each other and it's about time for dinner, why don't we eat together?"Nina immediately jumped in. "We’ve booked a stay at a nearby guesthouse. Follow me."Leading the way, they soon arrived at a cozy guesthouse. Nash called a server, and with Nina and Nash being regulars, they recommended the house specialties to Freya and Micah.The meal was ordered with variety in mind. There were about a dozen dishes to give their guests a true taste of the local cuisine, though in small portions. When Freya reached for shrimp, Micah, ever the gentleman, peeled them for her without hesitation. Meanwhile, Nash was not about to be outdone in serving his wife, making sure she was equally pampered.As they enjoyed their meal, Nina poured Freya a drink. "There are plenty of sights to see around here. Since we’ve bumped into each other, how about we explore together?"
It was partly his fault. When Nina booked the room, he had not been clear enough with her, leading her to believe that they had reached the stage of sharing a bed. Suppressing the frustration rising within him, Micah said softly, "You take the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor."After all, he had survived the harsh conditions in the northern regions of their homeland. This was nothing in comparison. But Freya, who loved him deeply, could never let him sleep on the floor.In a hoarse voice, Freya said, "Micah, you take the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor instead. Or maybe…"Before she could finish her sentence, Micah interrupted sternly, "Did you not hear? It's peak tourist season. If you go out now, there’s no guarantee you’ll find another room. And you wandering off alone? How does that even make sense?"Freya lowered her head, as she always did when she was around Micah. She never dared to raise her voice, always presenting the gentlest, best version of herself for him. But to Micah,
Pharaoh gently patted Orion's head. "We’ve eaten. Orion, why don’t you ask your mom and dad if they’ve eaten too?""Okay." Orion’s speech was slow, but every word was sincere. He then repeated Pharaoh's words to Nina, which made her very happy. It was the most complete sentence Orion had spoken in a while.Nina responded, "Mom and Dad have eaten. And guess what? We ran into your uncle while we were here. Orion, would you like to come join us for some fun?"As she asked this, Nina glanced over at Nash beside her. If Orion said yes, they could easily bring him over, since they had the means to do so.Nash smiled warmly at Orion. "What do you think, buddy? Do you want to come?"Orion shook his head and looked up at Pharaoh before responding, "Orion... wants to stay... Grandpa is... helping Orion get better...""Alright then. Stay with your grandpa, and make sure to listen to him. When we come back, we’ll bring you a present. And once you’re feeling better, we’ll take you out to pl
Hunter took a bite of the biscuits and ravioli she had made. The taste was surprisingly good. It wasn’t on the level of a Michelin-starred chef, but it had something even more special—the taste of home. And of course, there was the oatmeal. He took one spoonful after another, finishing the entire bowl. *Meanwhile, Vera still hadn’t found her brother. Disappointment weighed heavily on her as she prepared to leave. But just then, her phone buzzed. An anonymous message. She tapped it open and stared at the image attached. It was a watch. Alone, a watch meant nothing. But this watch was her brother’s. Vera immediately zoomed in on the photo, carefully inspecting the engravings inside. There they were—his initials. No mistake. This was his watch. Below the image, a location pin was attached. The place was nearby. Vera’s eyes filled with determination. If she had found nothing, she would have simply left. But now, she had recei
When Yelena woke up again, she was shocked to find that she wasn’t at the club. She sat up abruptly, looking around in confusion. Then, she got out of bed, slipped on her slippers, and pushed the door open. “Where am I?” “At my place,” Hunter replied casually. He was working in the living room when he saw her wake up. “You slept for a long time. I couldn’t just leave you alone at the club, so I brought you back here.” Seeing the uncertainty on her face, he added, “It’s already late. Just stay here for the night. I’ll take you back tomorrow.” Yelena nodded. There was no other choice now. “There’s food in the fridge. If you’re hungry, heat something up. There are also snacks in the drawer—take whatever you want.” “Alright.” She really was hungry. She opened the drawer, grabbed a few small bread rolls, ate them quickly, and then went back to her room to rest. *The next morning, Yelena woke up early. Thinking about everything Hunter had done—treatin
Yelena quickly lowered her arm, letting her sleeve fall over the mark to cover it. “It’s nothing. Here’s your cocktail. Please enjoy.” “Yelena.” Hunter grabbed her wrist without warning. He pulled up her sleeve, revealing the deep, ugly scars on her arm. His brows knitted together instantly. “Who did this to you?” The force behind it was brutal—downright inhuman. Yelena remained silent. Who else could have done this besides Liam? But she had agreed to this. She had willingly accepted Hunter’s request and entered Liam’s world. She had no right to complain. Her silence gave Hunter all the confirmation he needed. “Liam did this to you, didn’t he?” Yelena nodded. “It’s nothing. The wounds have already started healing. They look worse than they feel. Give it some time, and they’ll fade.” “Wait here.” Hunter stood abruptly and walked away. Yelena had no idea what he was doing, but since he told her to wait, she didn’t argue. A few minu
Then again, it made sense. How could a normal person possibly empathize with a lunatic? If Yelena could understand Liam, that would make her just as twisted. *For the next few days, Yelena stayed home to recover. During that time, Liam came back a few times, bringing her flowers and food. Like a child showing off a treasure, he placed the food in front of her. “Yelena, these are your favorite honey crullers. I got them fresh from the bakery. Try them and see if you like them.” “I’m not really hungry.” She didn’t want to eat anything he gave her. She couldn’t even stand looking at him. But she had made a promise. So, she had to force herself to stay. Liam’s expression darkened. “Are you really not hungry, or do you just not want to eat what I give you?” For someone like him, once he had lost his temper once, the second time would only come faster and smoother. With a heavy thud, he slammed the honey crullers onto the table. “Yes, I hit y
If Liam had been a normal person, Hunter never would have sent her here in the first place. But of course, Yelena could only think that. She wasn’t suicidal enough to say it out loud. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “I was really just messaging an old classmate. If you don’t believe me, go ahead—check my phone.” She wasn’t worried. Whenever she contacted Hunter, she deleted each message immediately. She had even forged an entire fake conversation just in case Liam ever got suspicious. So, no matter how thoroughly he checked, there would be nothing for him to find. Liam narrowed his eyes. “Is that so? Then why do I still feel like you’re lying? Women like you—nothing but liars, every last one of you.” Then, he struck her again. Yelena screamed. The pain was relentless, merciless. She had no idea how long it lasted—only that by the time he finally stopped, she was barely breathing. Her body slumped against the floor
Suddenly, footsteps sounded behind Yelena. She spun around, her heart hammering in her chest. Liam was walking toward her, a faint smile on his lips—but the coldness in his eyes told a different story. Memories of his past cruelty flashed through her mind, sending a shudder down her spine. She forced herself to stay calm. “Who are you messaging?” He was getting closer. So close that when he finally stopped, they were nearly pressed against each other. Then, without warning, his fingers clamped around her chin, gripping tighter and tighter. Pain shot through her jaw, and Yelena winced. “No one. Just an old classmate. I ran into her a few days ago while I was out.” “Oh? Is that so?” Liam’s voice softened, almost gentle. To anyone watching, he might have seemed like a kind, easygoing man. But Yelena knew better. He would never let her off that easily. And sure enough— In the next second, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her hea
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.“Haven’t I been just fine lately?“Or do you think my hand isn’t injured enough? If that’s the case, go ahead—do it yourself. “You already know I wouldn’t fight back no matter what.” Without warning, Yelena stretched out her injured hand, an act that instantly enraged Liam. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He snapped. “I was just making a casual remark. Is that really what you think of me? I already told you—I’m not going to lay a hand on you.“It wasn’t intentional before, and you know it. We both do. Stop acting like you’re above all this when we both know who sent you here.” Yelena felt a pang of sadness. They had spent so much time together, yet this was how he treated her—always choosing to hurt her. “I know—I wasn’t someone you chose, and none of this was intentional. But after all this time we've spent together...“I thought maybe I was a little different to you. But I guess I was wrong. Nothing has changed at all.
“Why do you even care about what happens to other people? Haven’t I made myself clear enough already?“Whose card is this—yours or mine?” His assistant immediately apologized upon hearing Caleb’s tone. “I hope you won’t hold this against me. I really wasn’t thinking clearly at the time—I should have considered this more carefully.” Caleb didn’t bother responding. After hanging up, he focused entirely on investigating Vera’s brother. *Meanwhile, Vera was deeply worried. If things had been somewhat under control before, now they were completely off track. The situation on both sides was far more complicated than she had anticipated. “Don’t worry. That’s exactly how it is. If you don’t want to go in person, I can go for you—but it won’t be cheap,” the private investigator said.Since Caleb had warned her about the private investigator, Vera started testing him, probing for inconsistencies. And sure enough, his story had too many holes. “Why are you so sure my b
As Caleb spoke, he looked at Vera with a hint of helplessness. After all, her hand had been injured because of Luna. “Don’t feel guilty about this. Honestly, it’s nothing to me.“And I’m not the type to carry burdens over things like this.“Besides, it’s been so long. If this had happened back then, I might have cared. But now? I just don’t think it matters anymore.” Vera’s voice was steady and sincere. But Caleb’s expression darkened. “Why would you say that? Why do you think it doesn’t matter? Do you really see me as just the same as everyone else?” For some reason, at this moment, Caleb took it personally. Vera couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course not. You’re different from the rest—so obviously, I wouldn’t see it the same way.“You’ve helped me so much. The least I can do is acknowledge that, instead of stubbornly nitpicking about what’s right or wrong, don’t you think?“Besides, whatever happened between you and Luna, that’s none of my business. It’s in