"She’s not our nanny. She’s my mom!" Orion shouted angrily, pounding on Madison’s leg. In response, Madison kicked him away, sending him to the ground. He landed on his backside, and looked up at her with hurt and confusion in his eyes.The incident happened so quickly that by the time Nina realized what had occurred, Orion was already on the ground. She hurried to scoop him up, holding him tightly. When she stood up again, she fixed Madison with a cold stare.Madison took two steps back, her voice trembling. "What are you going to do? I didn’t kick him that hard! He fell on his own. It’s not my fault!""So, you’re Madison, huh? I’ll remember that. If my son has any issues because of this, my lawyer will be in touch. And by the way, isn’t your husband a big-time manager at some company? I’m sure you can afford the medical bills, right? Just make sure not to dodge the responsibility."Nina hadn’t intended to make a big deal out of this, but kicking her son was crossing the line. I
The commotion caught everyone’s attention. Some sharp-eyed parents recognized the uniforms of the chefs. They were from the most famous hotel in Birkham. Gasps spread through the crowd as people marveled at how much the school must have spent.The principal forced a smile. He knew there was no way the school could afford such top-notch chefs and wondered which parent had provided this surprise."Ma’am, as per your instructions, the Royal Feast is ready. Could you please direct us to the dining area?" The hotel manager approached Nina with such respect that jaws dropped all around.Madison's face turned red, then pale. She felt utterly uncomfortable."That hotel’s food is ridiculously expensive," someone whispered. "That mom doesn’t look like she’s made of money. Do you think she’s just putting on a show?""Yeah, I saw her arguing with the PTA president earlier. Maybe she’s doing this out of spite."Madison overheard the murmurs and smirked as she walked toward Nina. Before sh
The dishes Nina arranged were a big hit, making her the talk of the school. In the eyes of the other parents, she became known as the mom who wasn’t afraid to spend money. She had stolen Madison's spotlight, and Madison couldn’t let it go.In the afternoon, since Orion was still feeling uncomfortable from his injury, Nina took him home after lunch, excusing them from the rest of the field day.Not long after they got home, Nina received an invitation from Madison to join the class parent group chat. Madison also sent her a message, emphasizing that all the moms were in the group, and it was useful for discussing their children's education.Nina didn’t accept the invitation. She felt that the parent group chat didn’t seem to offer much value. After Orion fell asleep, Nina went downstairs to call Nash, but all she got was a busy signal. Thinking back over everything that had happened at the field day, she felt increasingly uneasy, a suppressed anger building up inside her that she
Since it was a work-related issue, Nina didn’t hold it against Nash. She arranged for the nanny to take care of Orion and told Nash that she was going out with some of Orion's classmates' moms.While she was still in contact with Nash, the car had already driven out of the city. Nina felt puzzled. "Weren’t we supposed to go shopping?""You see, ma’am, that PTA president tends to change plans at the last minute. If she didn’t, I wouldn’t have had to wait for you back there, right? Don’t worry, their car can’t go that fast. We’ll catch up to them."As he spoke, the car turned onto a narrow country road. Nina looked around but saw no villages, only a road leading deeper into the mountains. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she was about to ask a question when the narrow road turned into a wider highway, leading to a gas station.The bearded man pulled in to refuel, and Nina seized the opportunity to try calling Madison, but there was no answer."Miss," someone called out to her. N
Nash’s phone still wouldn’t connect, and Nina’s frustration kept building. Just then, Zoe called. In her irritation, Nina vented about everything that had happened that day and what she planned to do next.Zoe suggested they meet at a bar on the outskirts of town, just a few minutes from where Nina was. Knowing Zoe was considering her convenience, Nina walked over to the bar. She had barely arrived when they pulled up."Mrs. York, I heard you’re looking to investigate someone," Eugene said bluntly as he got out of the car.Nina nodded and handed him a photo of Madison. "I’ve heard her husband is some kind of manager at a company. Find out where he works. She tried to have me killed, so I’ll make sure her whole life falls apart."Eugene didn’t bat an eye at the intensity of her words. After getting Nina and Zoe settled into a private room, he quickly left to arrange the investigation.Not even ten minutes later, Eugene returned to the room and handed Nina a printed report. Madi
He couldn’t bear to imagine what would have happened if something had really gone wrong with Nina. The very thought sent chills down Nash's spine.His heart was racing, and Nina, sensing his worry, felt her earlier frustration fade, replaced by forgiveness. She reached out, hugging Nash and softly reassured him, "I'm fine. You know my skills. No ordinary person can trap me.""I was really scared, honey. From now on, no matter how busy I am, I promise I won’t leave your side," Nash vowed, holding her tightly."Look, I’m okay now, aren’t I?" Nina noticed the worry still etched on his face and playfully pouted. "I’m hungry. I barely ate any of that Royal Feast earlier. Everyone was too busy talking and taking pictures. Since they weren’t eating, I didn’t either."In truth, she had eaten well enough, but Nina wanted to distract Nash from what had happened. After all, it was over now, and dwelling on it wouldn’t change anything.Nash picked her up and started heading out. "Let’s go g
Nina stayed with Nash at the hospital all night. The next morning, she went downstairs to buy breakfast and spotted Madison rushing toward the inpatient wing. Nina smirked but didn’t think much of it."Nina!"She hadn’t expected Madison to notice her, but there she was, stopping right in front of her, eyeing her up and down."Surprised to see me doing just fine?" Madison snapped.Now that they were closer, Nina noticed a red mark on Madison’s face. Someone had clearly hit her. Nina couldn’t help but chuckle."What’s so funny? It was you, wasn’t it? You told me about Mabel to destroy my family, right?"Nina was a bit taken aback by how quickly Madison had figured it out but didn’t deny it. "Yeah, it was me. But compared to what you did, I’d say I was being merciful."Madison screamed in rage, "I’m going to make you pay for this!" She lunged at Nina, but Nina swiftly dodged.Madison crashed into the nurse’s station, sending items tumbling to the floor. Nurses quickly surrounded
"You... I don't know them! I was just passing by!" Madison desperately tried to distance herself from the situation. But Nina had already called the police when she first noticed the men following her. The men’s statements were enough evidence, and the police didn’t listen to Madison's excuses. They escorted her straight to the police car."Mrs. York, are you alright?" Officer Lee asked as he approached. Madison froze when she heard the name Mrs. York and looked at Nina in shock."You’re Nash York’s wife?" she gasped in disbelief.Nina smiled. "Doesn’t it look like it?"Madison was on the verge of tears. If she had known who she was dealing with, she never would have caused so much trouble. Nina was the wife of the president of York Corporation, while she was just a small-time nobody.With Madison out of the way, Nina's mood improved even more. She even ordered a large cake, and when Nash asked about it, she simply said she felt like eating cake.Nash didn’t call her out on it.
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.