"Don’t bother mocking me, Nash. You came here because you already know I’ve made changes to York Corporation, right? Let me be clear. I’m taking York Corporation, along with the rest of the family's assets," William said, lifting his chin like a defiant kid.Nash took a sip of his drink and asked in a low voice, "Where’s Aunt Zoe?"He wasn’t here to argue about the company. He wanted to know where Zoe was. On the way over, he had already sent people to check her house, and she was nowhere to be found, confirming his suspicions.William’s face froze for a moment before he let out a sinister chuckle. After a long, mocking laugh, he suddenly stopped and said, "If you want to see her, fine. Meet me at the office tomorrow and sign the transfer agreement. Give me back all the shares and rights.""And if I don’t?""Then don’t expect to see Zoe again. But you care about her, don’t you? Of course, you do. I warned her not to side with you. I’m her brother after all. But she didn’t listen,"
Two men entered the villa with ease, and half an hour later, they emerged, supporting Zoe. When Nina saw Zoe at the hospital, her eyes were filled with tears. She held Zoe's hand tightly, unable to let go.Zoe patted her hand and softly reassured her, "I'm fine, really.""It's our fault for not being careful."Zoe shook her head, "It's not your fault. It's just my bad luck, having a brother like him."Turning to Nash, she added, "William has made a mess of the company. You need to fix things quickly before others take advantage. And as for William, don’t hesitate and do whatever needs to be done."Nash nodded. He knew what had to be done, and after everything that had happened, he was clear on how to deal with the situation. While Zoe was in the hospital, the company underwent a thorough purge. The clean-up happened so quickly. Even though William paid off the woman to change her testimony and got out of the police station as fast as he could, it was already too late.All of
"Call Nash. Tell him to sign over the company and the rest of the family's assets to me, or I'll make sure you disappear without a trace."William gestured for her to look behind her.Nina didn’t turn around, replying coldly, "Nash would never agree to that. You're wasting your time.""If he refuses, I'll kill you. And then I’ll bring your son here. If Nash still doesn’t cooperate, well, I won’t mind adding another body to the count."William pulled out a knife, stepping closer to Nina. He grabbed her chin and slapped her face lightly with the flat of the blade. "You better convince him to do as I say, or else..."The cold metal of the knife against her skin made Nina narrow her eyes. William had lost all sense of humanity in his pursuit of wealth. If he remained alive, they would never find peace.A thought crossed Nina's mind, and she let out a soft laugh. "Fine, I’ll convince Nash. But you’ll have to give me my phone, right? How else am I supposed to call him?"Relying on his
The night in Birkham gleamed with brilliance, especially on Valentine’s Day. Businesses pulled out all the stops to attract customers, as if trying to claim the entire holiday for themselves.Nina stood outside a themed hotel, hesitating before going in. She peered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, searching for the man Zoe had described. He would have a blue rose pinned to his chest. Every table was occupied by couples, but she couldn’t spot anyone matching that description.She thought about calling Zoe to check if the man had already left. Just then, she caught sight of a familiar figure. Nash was rounding a corner and heading into a private room on the second floor.On Valentine’s Day, and he didn’t come home? What was he doing here?A flood of suspicions surged through Nina’s mind, all pointing to one possibility. Nash had someone else.Anger boiling, she stormed into the hotel and headed straight for the private rooms upstairs."Miss, may I ask how many are in your
As they talked, Nash knelt on one knee, offering the blue rose from his chest to Nina."Nina, I like you, I love you, and I will love you for a lifetime, even in the next life and the one after that. Will you let me care for you, cherish you, and adore you?"His voice was gentle, every word hitting straight to her heart. Nina, already in tears, took the blue rose and nodded repeatedly. It took her a while before she could finally whisper, "I do."The moment she said those two words, Nash stood up and spun her around in a joyful embrace. At that moment, it felt as though time belonged only to them, and they simply listened to the sound of each other's heartbeats."Since you said yes, open the rose," Nash whispered in her ear. She gave him a curious glance and carefully parted the petals of the rose, revealing a ring nestled inside.Nina gasped in surprise. "Nash, you really outdid yourself.""Do you like it?" Nash asked with a smile. He had poured so much effort into this Vale
As they approached the entrance to the carnival, the crowd looked overwhelming, stretching as far as the eye could see. Nash immediately wrapped his arm around her and whispered, "Maybe we should change clothes first. I don’t want anyone getting too close to you in that dress."Nina scoffed, "What? You didn’t think about this when you picked out the dress? No way, I’m not changing. I look great tonight, and with so many people here, I’m not missing out."Nash sighed, realizing there was no changing her mind. He stayed close, carefully watching over her.With that decision made, Nina threw herself into enjoying the night. She tried different foods, handing anything she couldn’t finish to Nash. She sipped on drinks, offering what she didn’t finish to him as well. She experimented with games, and when she got scared, she would rush into Nash’s arms for safety.She was like the brightest star in the night sky, playfully shining, attracting admiration from those around her. But not
"That's it? You're just giving up?" Nina's mind was racing, but deep down, she was anxious.She was worried the woman would keep pursuing Nash. It wasn’t men’s wandering hearts that scared her, it was when other women got serious. No man could resist temptation when it’s served to him on a silver platter."Nash, consider yourself lucky," Nina muttered under her breath. Suddenly, someone blocked her path. She looked up, locking eyes with Nash, his gaze filled with tenderness. "Aren't there other women looking for you? Why aren't you with them? Go on, make them happy, so..." "Then I'll go." Nina grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare." Taking advantage of the moment, Nash stole a quick kiss, grinning mischievously. "I wouldn't dare, and I won't. You and Orion are all I need." Reassured by his words, Nina's face lit up with joy. The little incident made them forget all about the earlier unpleasantness. They wandered through the carnival, eating and drinking as they went.
Michael, somewhat reluctant, pulled Zoe aside. "Zoe, I really like you. No matter who you are, I like you just the way you are."Zoe, though not Nash’s biological aunt, had become highly regarded by him after the recent turmoil at York Corporation. Nash now treated Zoe as his own family. This was evident from how Zoe had become involved in the company’s advertising campaigns.Michael had worked hard to build a connection with her and wasn’t about to let it slip away. But Zoe was unaware of his intentions; to her, Michael just seemed outdated in his thinking.She glanced at Nina for help, but before she could react, Michael cupped Zoe’s face in his hands. Startled, she immediately pushed him away.Nina let out a scream and rushed over to Zoe, clinging to her while crying hysterically. The tears and cries made it seem like Zoe had truly broken her heart."You can’t be with him! I won’t allow it! You promised me. You said you’d never leave me…" Her voice trailed off as she choked on
Up ahead was a village. “Miss, it’s really late today, so I’ll take you home first. My parents and brother will take good care of you, and you can get a good night’s sleep at our place. Once you’ve rested, we’ll take you to town tomorrow.” The young girl tightened her grip on Vera’s hand. “My mom is a great cook! She’ll definitely make a big meal to welcome you.” It really was late. The sky was completely dark, and Vera’s phone battery was nearly dead. The girl was still so young. She had already gone out of her way to bring Vera back from the deep mountains. It wouldn’t be right to ask her to take her all the way to town tonight. Vera still had some cash in her pocket. After covering the cost of transportation, she decided she would leave the rest for the girl’s family. If it weren’t for the girl, who knew how long she would have been wandering in the mountains? “My house is just ahead. It’s not in great shape, so don’t mind it too much. Next year, whe
Vera’s nerves tensed up again. A sudden sound in the middle of nowhere was never a good sign. If it was a snake or some other large animal, she would be in serious trouble. Her ankle was swollen, and she couldn’t run fast. Would this be where it all ended for her? She had to leave quietly. But the ground was covered in thick layers of fallen leaves, with dry branches hidden underneath. Crack. As she stepped back, her foot snapped a twig, the sound piercing through the silence. Only one thought filled her mind—this was it. The rustling nearby grew louder. Vera squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself. Then, a voice suddenly spoke beside her. “Miss, why are you here alone? Didn’t your family come with you?” It was a person. Not an animal. Vera’s eyes flew open. A young girl stood in front of her. Fear dissolved in an instant, replaced by relief. She was saved.“I came here alone. Little one, do you know how to get out of here?” Ver
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.