Sean let out a furious scream. The pain in his chest was unbearable. The slave camps had thousands of people, and in the end, nothing came of it? And with all the Yaren Tribe’s medicinal resources, how could they fail to save his sister?In the end, wasn’t it just because they were afraid his sister’s feelings for Micah would interfere with him? Ashan clutched his chest, the pain unbearable. "You saved so many lives, ran countless experiments. Why wouldn’t you save my sister?"Fearing that Ashan, overwhelmed by grief, might do something rash, Micah stepped in front of the Pharaoh, his resolve unshaken. "I tried everything I could, but I couldn’t save her. That’s on me. If you want revenge, I’m willing to pay with my life."Micah’s gaze was steady and unwavering."No! You’re the leader of the Yaren Tribe now. If a life has to be taken, then take mine instead!" Freya exclaimed, rushing to shield Micah with her arms spread wide.She couldn’t bear to see him die, not after they ha
Sean remained stubborn, almost shouting, "I feel like it’s all because of my sister’s lower status that you didn’t want to save her!""I’m sorry. I was too obsessed before, trying to revive the dead, chasing some unattainable goal. In the end, I realized it was all just an illusion." Pharaoh sighed. "I know you're heartbroken over your sister’s death, but the Yaren Tribe must continue to move forward. I’m willing to let Micah hand those responsible over to you, and we’ll compensate you for the loss. Everything I said earlier still stands." He pressed his lips together and started walking toward Sean.Pharaoh had already steeled himself for whatever Sean might demand, whether it be a beating or even a life for a life. If that was the price, Pharaoh was ready to be the one to pay it. He wouldn’t resist, and he would make sure that Micah and Nina didn’t retaliate against Sean.Even though Pharaoh hadn’t said these words aloud, Nina and Micah understood him perfectly."Sean! We’re no
Sean had one thought in his mind which was to protect the Yaren Tribe and Micah. After all, both Micah and the tribe were what his sister had given her life to protect.On the day Sean left, Nina came to see him off. Sean didn’t want money, status, or any material things. The only thing Nina could give him was a protective charm she had personally blessed."Sean, life on the border will be tough. Please take good care of yourself. Even though your sister is gone, we will always be your family, and you’re welcome to come back anytime," Nina said with a gentle smile.Sean smiled back, but deep down, he knew that without his sister, the Yaren Tribe no longer felt like home. Even though Nina offered him such kindness, he understood that Nina and Micah had their own lives. He wasn’t a child anymore, and he was aware of that.With Sean gone, the chapter of Arin’s story closed as well. Nina, worried about Micah’s mental state, stayed in the Yaren Tribe for a while. Outwardly, Micah appe
Micah clutched his head in agony, releasing a pained scream. Seeing him like this was gut-wrenching for Nina, but even more so for Freya, who had been by his side every day.Nina stepped forward, gently placing a hand on his shoulder, her voice soft and soothing."Micah, this isn't your fault. Please don't push yourself like this—""It is my fault! If it weren't for me, she wouldn't have made that sacrifice. I've seen death so many times, but I've never felt like this before. Nina, you don't understand! I watched her die right in front of me..."Micah's voice was hoarse, cutting through Nina's words, each word carrying the weight of his torment. Nina had never seen him so broken, and it left her feeling helpless.Afraid he might lose control, she quickly called their father. Before long, Pharaoh arrived with a team from the lab. Seeing Micah in this state, Pharaoh felt an overwhelming sadness. This was his son, after all.But when Pharaoh examined Micah, he discovered that Micah
Micah gently stroked Freya's head, a smile of understanding forming on his lips. "I'm sorry for making you worry.""Micah, please, you have to get better. You can't leave me behind. We... we still have so many things we haven't done. Everything feels unfinished." Freya hugged him tightly, her voice hoarse and full of emotion. She was truly scared.If Freya had known that Micah was holding onto an idealized memory of someone who had been flawless in every way, it might not have hurt as much. But with Arin, things were different. Setting aside everything else, it was clear that some choices had been offered to Arin, but she hadn’t taken them.Freya didn’t want Micah to spend the rest of his life drowning in guilt.Micah continued to gently caress her head. "I understand everything you're saying. Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to pull myself out of this darkness."Freya had always said she didn’t care about these things, and Micah knew where the real issue lay. He wouldn’t hold it ag
"With your willpower, I believe you can get through this. I’ll be monitoring your progress closely," Wilfred said calmly, and he followed through on his promise.Breaking an addiction was painful, but Micah had plenty of support around him, especially with Freya by his side. After a week, Micah successfully overcame his dependence on the drugs. This was great news for everyone, especially Freya, who was overjoyed. "Micah, let’s visit the grassroots communities. There are still so many people who need our help."Freya’s thinking was straightforward. If she and Micah focused on their work together, it would keep his mind off Arin's death. Recently, Micah had felt guilty about neglecting her, thinking he owed her more attention since they had just gotten married. He had been trying to make up for the time he had neglected her by staying by her side.However, things unexpectedly took a turn for the worse, and instead of improving, Micah ended up in his current troubled state.Holdi
Several people tried reaching Nash, but neither he nor Quincy answered their phones. They were both on a flight, unaware of the chaos unfolding. William, however, had one clear goal in mind. He wanted money and power. The assets he hadn’t secured before, he was determined to claim now.William's actions had caused such an uproar within York Corporation that even Zoe was alerted. She confronted him directly, her voice filled with frustration. "I've already told you everything, and Nash made his stance clear at the wedding. How can you still act like this?""Nash hasn’t been unkind to you, has he?"It was Nash’s competence that had pulled York Corporation back from the brink of collapse, transforming it into the thriving company it was today. And yet, here William was, trying to tear it all down.But William wasn’t interested in listening. "Sure, Nash built York Corporation into what it is today, but the problem is, I can’t let myself end up penniless.""If you didn’t want to end
"Fine, it doesn’t matter if you don’t acknowledge me," William scoffed as he knocked Zoe unconscious and locked her in the attic. "Once I have money and power, anything I want will be just a word away."That evening, Nina and Nash's plane touched down. As they stepped out of the airport, they noticed something unusual. The largest billboard nearby, which used to feature York Corporation's popular beauty products, had been replaced with a food advertisement. The change hadn’t been authorized by Nash, and that wasn’t right.Both of them exchanged a glance, realizing something was wrong in Birkham.Just as Nina was about to speak, Nash’s phone rang. It was Manager Wood from the Planning Department. He was one of the most loyal and long-standing employees at York Corporation."Manager Wood, I was just about to call you. What’s going on with the billboard outside the airport? Why was it changed?""Mr. York, we need to talk. Come to my house immediately. Everyone is here waiting for y
But instead of feeling touched, Vera’s first reaction was nausea. A wave of discomfort surged up from her stomach, and Vera’s face paled. She bolted for the bathroom. Caleb followed quickly. “Are you feeling sick?” “I don’t think so. I’ve been eating normally—nothing too heavy or weird lately.” Vera clutched her stomach, just as confused as he was. Then, a possibility flashed through her mind. Caleb clearly had the same thought. Without a word, he turned and walked into their bedroom, returning moments later with a pregnancy test. Vera looked at him, stunned. “When did you buy that?” He responded matter-of-factly, “Better safe than sorry.” Vera was momentarily speechless. Five minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. It was positive. They had only been married for three months. How did this happen so fast?Caleb, on the other hand, remained composed—at le
Of course, Vera wasn’t about to dump all her responsibilities on her assistant. That would be exploitation. She called her assistant into her office. “You’re twenty-five this year, right?” Her assistant blinked, confused. Wasn’t her age common knowledge? Why was Vera suddenly bringing it up? A thought struck her. Was this an arranged marriage situation? Her face immediately filled with silent refusal. “Miss Vera, I’m still young. I’m not thinking about marriage anytime soon.” Vera tapped her pen against the desk. “I’m not telling you to get married.” “Oh.” “I just want to offload some of the smaller daily tasks to you. You don’t have to run every minor document by me.”Her assistant instantly understood. A raise. After confirming she was on board, Vera gave her a salary bump and had her hire a few more assistants to distribute the workload. “If I don’t have time to handle everything, you guys will take care of it. If something’s too complicated, jus
Vera could sense danger the moment the conversation turned in this direction. Her father had never questioned her about married life, and she was lucky enough to avoid nosy relatives. But just because she hadn’t experienced it firsthand didn’t mean she hadn’t seen it happen to others. Without hesitation, she abandoned the half-folded pastry in her hands. “I... uh, need to use the restroom.” Before she could escape, Mrs. Smith caught her wrist. “You and Caleb aren’t getting any younger,” she said matter-of-factly. “You should start thinking about kids—make sure you’re putting in the effort, hmm?” Vera left the kitchen visibly drained. Mrs. Smith was a wonderful mother-in-law, the kind who treated Vera like her own daughter. Despite knowing Vera came from a well-off family, she had still gifted them a house as a wedding present. Of course, Caleb already owned a place, but his mother had insisted. “That’s your house. This is the home I’m giving you as a weddi
That undeniable possessiveness flickered in Caleb’s gaze—subtle yet impossible to ignore. It was the kind of look a powerful man might give his beloved in an old Hollywood film. And right now, the photographer felt like the unlucky bystander who had accidentally stumbled upon an intimate scene. His voice wavered slightly, caught up in his own imagination. “Mr. Smith, lift your eyes toward the camera.” Caleb’s sharp gaze flickered over, intense and commanding. The photographer instinctively pressed the shutter. They continued with several more poses, reviewing the shots as they went. Vera loved them all, but her favorite was still the vintage-inspired one. “How long until we get the final prints?” she asked. “Two to three days at most,” the photographer replied. “I’ll have them shipped directly to you.” Then, after a slight pause, he hesitated before making a request. “I actually have a personal favor to ask—would you both be open to letting us displa
Vera was tempted. They had already taken plenty of wedding photos—several sets at the island, more at the wedding itself. But this wasn’t just any photo studio. It was privately booked and known for being one of the most prestigious studios in the city. Appointments here were nearly impossible to get. The fact that Caleb had managed to secure a session meant he had gone to great lengths to make it happen. If they were just going to take ordinary wedding pictures, it would be a waste of an opportunity. Still, she wasn’t sure what kind of shoot she wanted. The photographer, understanding her hesitation, pulled out a sample album. “You can take a look at our past work. These are some of the styles we’ve done.” Flipping through the pages, Vera saw an array of stunning concepts—each picture more breathtaking than the last. Then, one particular set caught her eye. A Golden Age Hollywood theme.It was classic, nostalgic, and beautifully atmospheric. “Ca
After the wedding, Vera considered taking some time off for a honeymoon. But the thought quickly faded when she realized Caleb had been practically living at the hospital. With a sigh, she dismissed the idea. She was used to it, but to say she wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. Her assistant picked up on it. “Mrs. Smith, don’t you want to go on a honeymoon?” she asked one day. “One of my friends just got married, and she’s been obsessively researching destinations. “She even said a marriage without a honeymoon is already half a failure.” Vera froze mid-page, suddenly losing interest in the documents she had been reviewing. Her assistant hesitated, then offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you go visit Dr. Smith at work?“You seem… distracted. Maybe seeing him will help.” Vera snapped out of her daze, suddenly aware of how preoccupied she had been lately. It was embarrassing to admit, but she had been zoning out far too often—especially after coming hom
Whenever they did this in the past, Caleb always maintained some restraint. But tonight—he didn’t hold back at all. He took her from the bedroom to the bathroom, then back to the bed, his searing kisses trailing every inch of her skin. The next morning, even as she woke up, Vera could still feel the lingering traces of last night’s intoxicating pleasure. As expected, she ended up taking the day off. It wasn’t until two days later that she finally returned to work. *Everyone at the company had already prepared for this. The moment Vera walked into the office, she was greeted with knowing smiles and teasing remarks. “Congratulations, Mrs. Smith!” “Newlywed bliss, huh?” “Three whole days off? Someone had a good time.” It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she had been up to. Obviously, her married life was going exceptionally well—so well that she had completely abandoned work for it. Under the weight of their mischievous stares, Vera barely k
Yelena still hadn’t accepted Hunter, but he wasn’t giving up either and was relentlessly closing in on her. Knowing Yelena’s soft heart, Vera figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in. She let out a sigh. Her friend’s love life wasn’t something she could interfere with. Besides, Caleb had already given her a little inside scoop. “She came to the hospital for a follow-up a few days ago,” he had mentioned casually. “Hunter was the one who brought her.” Vera had clicked her tongue at the news. Yelena always seemed quiet and reserved, but apparently, she was full of surprises.*Time flew by in the blink of an eye.By mid-month, Caleb had rented out an entire vineyard and spent several days transforming it into the perfect wedding venue.When the day arrived, the celebration took place right there.The vineyard was sprawling and elegant, every bit as grand as any luxury hotel—if not better. Even the wine cellar remained untouched, stocked with years-
“Did you plan this from the start?” Vera narrowed her eyes, feeling like she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. “Mm.” Caleb smiled, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Because yes—he had always been planning this. The biggest change in Vera’s life after the island proposal was the ring now sitting on her finger. It wasn’t just any ring. It was custom-made, something Caleb had specially ordered. She only found out by accident when she glanced at his phone one day and saw the purchase record. It had been ordered two months ago. Vera did the math and was stunned. He had been preparing for this long before she even started getting impatient. Her heart swelled with emotion. And as soon as Caleb’s parents heard that their son had finally proposed, they wasted no time pushing them to get the marriage license. *One day, Vera overheard Caleb’s mother lecturing him. “Your dad and I weren’t expecting much from you. With how much ti