"Mrs. York, what will it take for you to forgive me? I know I failed in raising my son properly. Please, give me one more chance, I beg you," Mrs. Lowe's pleading voice came from behind, but Nina didnât stop walking.Nash caught up with her, asking with concern, "Whatâs wrong? Why are you suddenly so upset?"Nina shook her head. "Let her go. Tell her to transfer her son to another school and make sure he never crosses paths with Orion again.""Alright, Iâll handle it right away."Nash could tell that Ninaâs mood had soured, and he was sure it had something to do with Mrs. Lowe. Since Pharaoh had already taken action and Mrs. Lowe wasnât connected to the real Lowe family, there was no reason to hesitate. He decided to deal with her swiftly.Nash leaned in to his subordinate and quietly instructed, "Take her and her family away. Just tell them that my wife doesnât want to see them again."Pharaohâs men responded immediately. One knocked Mrs. Lowe unconscious, and the other put he
"Just wait and see," Nash said with a mysterious smile, then led Nina into the office.The three of them had barely sat down when the secretary knocked on the door and entered, her expression tense. She glanced nervously at Eugene but didnât dare speak."Whatever it is, just say it," Nash instructed."Michael is downstairs, speaking to the reporters and bad-mouthing Mr. Lowe," the secretary blurted out. However, before she could finish her sentence, Eugene shot up from his seat, ready to confront Michael.Nash grabbed his arm, feigning seriousness as he advised, "You took away his love. Whatâs a few insults in return? The manâs lost a lifetime of happiness."Eugene paused, then burst into laughter. "Right, right. If that helps him feel better, let him go on. Thereâs no need to stop him."The two exchanged a knowing look, their silent understanding needing no words.Although the press conference appeared to be forced, it was actually part of Nash's plan all along. He instructed
Nash looked troubled. "How come I didnât know that you took my aunt to the hospital? When did this happen? Was something wrong with her, or did you do something to her? Mr. Lowe, you need to explain this clearly. Even if I canât stand up to the Lowe family, I will get justice for my aunt.""You..." Eugene was at a loss for words. Nash was completely unpredictable, not playing by the usual rules. But then again, Eugene himself hadnât exactly followed the plan either.Realization dawned on Eugene, and he smirked playfully at Nash. "What if I told you I want to become your uncle? Would that bother you, Mr. York?"His words stunned everyone in the room.Michael erupted in anger, "I wonât allow it!""And who are you to object? What gives you the right?" someone in the crowd responded."Exactly. Look at yourself. I say Mr. York should just agree to it. A strong alliance like that would only help York Corporation rise to even greater heights.""If that happens, it would truly be a ma
"Miss Nina, it's an honor that I met you before anyone else and that we're together now. Although we've faced many challenges along the way, I've always remembered that you're the one I love. From the beginning until now, that has never changed. There have been rumors that you gained your position as a mistress, and I know those rumors have affected you. I donât know who started them, but thatâs not important. Today, I want to sayâĶ"As Nash spoke, pictures of their daily life together appeared on the screen, showing their love and making others envious.Nash took the microphone and stood up, pulling a bewildered Nina to her feet."Nina, they donât know how amazing you are. They think you married up by being with me. But I know the truth that I'm the one whoâs lucky. Being loved by you is the greatest honor of my life. People donât know how we met and fell in love. But you know, donât you?"Nashâs eyes grew misty. What had started as a way to address the rumors about Nina being a mi
Zoe arrived at the hotel as planned, only to find that Eugene was the only one there. Just as she was about to leave, she received a message from Nina.Nina wrote, "Things are already out in the open. If you really donât have any feelings for him, you should be clear about that tonight. But if you have even the slightest interest, maybe you should give it a chance. Who knows? He might turn out to be the right one for you."Being given advice by someone younger left Zoe feeling both amused and a bit annoyed. But Nina had a point. Eugene wasnât a bad person.She decided to stay, thinking, "Might as well treat it as getting to know a new friend."With that thought, she confidently sat across from Eugene and said, "They probably arenât coming. Mr. Lowe, do you mind if I apologize on their behalf?""Thatâs not necessary. Honestly, I wasnât looking for an apology. I just wanted to see you, nothing more," Eugene replied, his eyes betraying his calm tone.Tonight, Zoe seemed even more be
Nina was completely surprised when Zoe showed up early in the morning asking to borrow clothes. If Zoe werenât the daughter of the wealthy York family, it might seem normal to ask someone for clothes. But Zoe was really wealthy, after all. She could have any outfit she wanted. So why was she asking to borrow clothes from Nina?Nina studied her for a long time, finding nothing unusual. But whether it was clothes or even money, she would never hesitate to help.Putting down her teacup, Nina smiled and stood up. "Come on, letâs go upstairs and pick something out."Zoe looked surprised. "Arenât you going to ask why I need to borrow clothes?"Of course, Nina was curious. But if Zoe wasnât saying anything, she must have her reasons, so Nina didnât press for details.The two of them went to the walk-in closet, filled with a dazzling array of clothes. However, despite the selection, Zoe couldnât find anything she liked.With a sigh, Zoe said, "I think Iâll pass. Nothing seems to suit
After hearing Nina's answer, Nash turned to Zoe, visibly surprised. "Why are you wearing Nina's clothes? Did you run out of your own?"As he spoke, he pulled out a bank card and handed it to her. "Whatever you want to buy, go ahead and buy it. Donât worry about saving money for your nephew."Zoe chuckled, wanting to tease him. "If I spend it all, what will your wife do? She wonât have anything left."Nash smiled, wrapping his arm around Nina. "All my money is with Nina. What I gave you is just my pocket money.""Is that really true?" Zoe thought to herself. Nash, as the president of a corporation, couldnât possibly have given all his money to Nina, could he? This wasnât just a regular familyâs few thousand or ten thousand dollars. It was millions of dollars. But looking at the two of them, they didnât seem to be lying."If Eugene gave me all his money, I wouldnât dare take it," Zoe mused."Are you crazy? Why wouldnât you take it? You should accept it without hesitation. If he d
Nina had agreed to participate in the field day, completely falling into Nashâs trap.Nash gave a sly smile and leaned in, speaking slowly, "Then, my dear wife, please head upstairs and change. Iâll go get Orion, and weâll head out as soon as youâre ready.""Where are we going?" Nina asked, puzzled.Nash tapped her nose playfully. "To the field day.""Wait, the schoolâs field day is today?" Nina thought, still confused. But she went upstairs, changed, and came down to find Nash and Orion already waiting for her in the car.On the drive, she couldnât shake the feeling that she had walked right into Nashâs setup. She sighed repeatedly, realizing she had underestimated him and now had no choice but to go along with it.When they arrived at the school, the parking lot was packed. Unable to find a spot, Nash told Nina and Orion to go ahead while he parked the car and would join them later.Nina led Orion to the field, where she saw cheerful children running around and parents squinti
But instead of feeling touched, Veraâs first reaction was nausea. A wave of discomfort surged up from her stomach, and Veraâs face paled. She bolted for the bathroom. Caleb followed quickly. âAre you feeling sick?â âI donât think so. Iâve been eating normallyânothing too heavy or weird lately.â 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. âWhen did you buy that?â He responded matter-of-factly, âBetter safe than sorry.â 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 composedâat le
Of course, Vera wasnât about to dump all her responsibilities on her assistant. That would be exploitation. She called her assistant into her office. âYouâre twenty-five this year, right?â Her assistant blinked, confused. Wasnât 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. âMiss Vera, Iâm still young. Iâm not thinking about marriage anytime soon.â Vera tapped her pen against the desk. âIâm not telling you to get married.â âOh.â âI just want to offload some of the smaller daily tasks to you. You donât have to run every minor document by me.âHer 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. âIf I donât have time to handle everything, you guys will take care of it. If somethingâs 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 hadnât experienced it firsthand didnât mean she hadnât seen it happen to others. Without hesitation, she abandoned the half-folded pastry in her hands. âI... uh, need to use the restroom.â Before she could escape, Mrs. Smith caught her wrist. âYou and Caleb arenât getting any younger,â she said matter-of-factly. âYou should start thinking about kidsâmake sure youâre putting in the effort, hmm?â 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. âThatâs your house. This is the home Iâm giving you as a weddi
That undeniable possessiveness flickered in Calebâs gazeâsubtle 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. âMr. Smith, lift your eyes toward the camera.â Calebâs 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. âHow long until we get the final prints?â she asked. âTwo to three days at most,â the photographer replied. âIâll have them shipped directly to you.â Then, after a slight pause, he hesitated before making a request. âI actually have a personal favor to askâwould you both be open to letting us displa
Vera was tempted. They had already taken plenty of wedding photosâseveral sets at the island, more at the wedding itself. But this wasnât 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 wasnât sure what kind of shoot she wanted. The photographer, understanding her hesitation, pulled out a sample album. âYou can take a look at our past work. These are some of the styles weâve done.â Flipping through the pages, Vera saw an array of stunning conceptsâeach 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. âCa
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 wasnât disappointed would be a lie. Her assistant picked up on it. âMrs. Smith, donât you want to go on a honeymoon?â she asked one day. âOne of my friends just got married, and sheâs been obsessively researching destinations. âShe even said a marriage without a honeymoon is already half a failure.â Vera froze mid-page, suddenly losing interest in the documents she had been reviewing. Her assistant hesitated, then offered a suggestion. âWhy donât you go visit Dr. Smith at work?âYou seemâĶ distracted. Maybe seeing him will help.â 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 oftenâespecially after coming hom
Whenever they did this in the past, Caleb always maintained some restraint. But tonightâhe didnât 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 nightâs intoxicating pleasure. As expected, she ended up taking the day off. It wasnât 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. âCongratulations, Mrs. Smith!â âNewlywed bliss, huh?â âThree whole days off? Someone had a good time.â It didnât take a genius to figure out what she had been up to. Obviously, her married life was going exceptionally wellâso well that she had completely abandoned work for it. Under the weight of their mischievous stares, Vera barely k
Yelena still hadnât accepted Hunter, but he wasnât giving up either and was relentlessly closing in on her. Knowing Yelenaâs soft heart, Vera figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in. She let out a sigh. Her friendâs love life wasnât something she could interfere with. Besides, Caleb had already given her a little inside scoop. âShe came to the hospital for a follow-up a few days ago,â he had mentioned casually. âHunter was the one who brought her.â 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 hotelâif not better. Even the wine cellar remained untouched, stocked with years-
âDid you plan this from the start?â Vera narrowed her eyes, feeling like she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. âMm.â Caleb smiled, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Because yesâhe had always been planning this. The biggest change in Veraâs life after the island proposal was the ring now sitting on her finger. It wasnât 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 Calebâs parents heard that their son had finally proposed, they wasted no time pushing them to get the marriage license. *One day, Vera overheard Calebâs mother lecturing him. âYour dad and I werenât expecting much from you. With how much ti