Caleb Smith didn't quite understand. Did Nash fall ill? He had a medical examination not long ago, and his health seemed normal. But if there were any issues, it could only be...As Caleb entered the office, his gaze immediately fixed on Nash's trousers. Sensing his strange expression, Nash frowned, "I asked you to check on Nina's health. Why are you staring at me?"Caleb quickly averted his gaze, awkwardly smiling. "Nothing, I just met her at the elevator, and she seemed quite upset.""She'll come back," Nash remarked."Did you two have a quarrel?""It's normal for women to get upset."Caleb hesitated to speak further and chose to sit on the nearby sofa instead.Seeing Caleb's reluctance to leave, Nash said, "Since she's gone, you can leave too. I don't need you here.""I've just arrived. Can't we catch up as friends?"Caleb, after some consideration, chuckled, "Nina has her reasons for being upset. It's normal for couples to have some problems. Once those are resolved, the r
Nina glanced back and replied, "Packing my bags.""Where are you going?""Home," Nina said."Isn't this your home?" Nash's tone grew noticeably colder.Nina's heart stung at his words, but she looked up at him and said, "Do you really think this place belongs to me? I'm just making room for you all."Suddenly, Nash grabbed her hand, halting her packing. His voice turned cold as he said, "How much longer are you going to keep this up?"Nina dared not look up, fearing she might appear vulnerable and start crying. It was the first time she had pushed him away so forcefully. "I'm not causing a scene, I'm serious. Nash, please let go. I need to pack."Her persistence in wanting a divorce weighed heavily on Nash's face. With a loud "bang," the door closed.Hearing the noise, Nina looked up, only to hear Nash's low voice asking, "What's the reason behind your desire to leave?"Nina remained silent.Nash leaned in closer, his tone accusatory, "Do you think I'm not capable? Do you nee
His body was warm, carrying a strong scent of alcohol, his hot breath lingering by her ear. He's been drinking?"Nash," Nina called out. But Nash wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his head in her hair, and said in a low voice, "Don't move, let me hold you for a while." Now Nina didn't move. She didn't quite understand why he drank so much.Under the covers, Nina lay for a long time, her body almost stiff, wondering when he would get up. But he showed no intention of getting up, just lingering on her, greedy. He wouldn't mistake her for Miranda again, would he?Nina called out again, "Nash..." "I just want to lie like this for a while, Nina." Hearing this, Nina fell silent again. The fact that he called her name meant he didn't see her as another woman. She rarely saw him in this state, feeling a bit at a loss.But her heart softened, fearing he would fall asleep like this, fearing he would catch a cold. She nudged him, "Don't sleep like this. Either take a bath or cove
The woman was the editor-in-chief of a certain magazine: "I've only heard about your boyfriend, but never seen him. It's quite intriguing."Miranda casually adjusted her hair and said tactfully, "I don't like him appearing in public, so I never let him accompany me to events. But when we get married one day, I'll be sure to invite you.""Keeping it mysterious, huh? Well, then I'll look forward to it."The editor-in-chief turned to see Nina nearby, nodding politely to her. "Nina, nice to see you again."Nina also recognized her; they had met before when she wanted to interview Nash. It was through this connection that she succeeded to interview him.She responded lightly, "Hi, Cally.""Do you two know each other?" Cally looked at both of them.Miranda said, "We do, but we're not particularly close."She deliberately distanced herself from Nina.Nina followed her lead, saying, "When Miranda returned to the country, the headlines about her fiancé were so big that Cally got curiou
Miranda's face immediately flushed, she released her hands covering her face, tears streaming down again, presenting a pitiful and adorable appearance. She indeed belonged in front of the screen, playing the victim role convincingly. Had it not been for her fierce demeanor just now, Nina might have believed her pitiful act."Show some respect!" Nina's tone carried a hint of seriousness.Miranda cried with tear-streaked cheeks, speaking softly, "Nina, I also have dignity. How could you treat me like this? I didn't snatch your man, please don't misunderstand me..." "Nina!" Nash's voice came from nearby. Nina was shocked, how could he be here?Then she realized, this might be a play directed by Miranda. Looking over, Nash had a stern face, his eyes sharp, as if she had committed some grave mistake. Nash strode over and forcefully pulled the weak and helpless Miranda from Nina's side into his arms. The force was strong, Nina staggered back a few steps from the inertia."Nash," Mi
Miranda fell silent for a moment. Nina was still at the event when she received a call from Nash, which was quite unexpected. She thought he might be planning a romantic rendezvous with Miranda and simply didn't have the time to bother with her.Nina composed herself as if nothing had happened: "Over at the art exhibition." Nash said, "After it's over, come back to the office with me." This meant he wasn't planning to give her a break but rather expected her to go back to work. Nina had no choice but to agree. After hanging up the phone, Nash turned back and noticed Miranda was still beside him. "What did you just say?" Miranda had hoped for an opportunity to be alone with him, but hearing their conversation, she realized there might not be a chance. She withdrew her hand. "I'll go rest now, see you tomorrow.""Alright," Nash replied. Miranda was still not satisfied. "Do you have time tomorrow evening?" "We'll see." "If you're free tomorrow evening, I'd like to invite y
The man stood with his hands in his pockets, his gentle gaze fixed on Nina for a while before he said, "Iâm Scott Lucas. Nina, we were in the same class in elementary and middle school."Nina's mind wandered for a while. In her memory, Scott was completely different. He used to be a chubby kid, always sitting quietly at the back of the class every semester, hardly noticed by anyone. She didn't have much interaction with him. With her consistently excellent academic performance, she served as the class monitor, and at most only exchanged a few words with him during homework assignments.She never expected such a transformation; he had become so good-looking. "Scott?" Nina's lips curled slightly. "You've changed so much. I almost didn't recognize you.""Yeah, I've changed a lot. It's normal that you didn't recognize me," Scott's deep eyes stared at her. "Many classmates don't recognize me anymore, but I recognize you."Nina was happy to see her old classmate. After starting work, s
Nina saw that Scott was nearby and feared he might overhear, which would be very awkward. She asked Yvonne not to say anything more to avoid any embarrassment.Yvonne had no choice but to listen to her and remained silent. After exchanging pleasantries with others, Scott returned to Nina's side.Yvonne called out, "Mr. Lucas, what a rare guest!"Scott replied, "Miss Turner's exhibition was very successful, undoubtedly leaving a significant impact.""My refined tastes of literati can't compare to Mr. Lucas's," Yvonne nudged Nina, "I just found out you two are old classmates. How about you accompany Nina? She has to return to the company this afternoon."Suddenly pushed forward by Yvonne, Nina felt a bit flustered. Before she could say anything, Scott immediately said, "Sure, I'm free. I can escort her."Yvonne winked at Nina and politely said, "Thank you for your trouble."She pushed Nina towards Scott, "Old classmates should catch up. You two take your time. I won't accompany yo
Jamie sighed, knowing Ben was trying to comfort her. Though she still felt a little wistful, she quickly let it go.What she didnât expect was that the boysâ whispered conversation would continue from the car all the way to the dinner table. Even while eating, they huddled together, making it clear no one else was welcome to join their secretive chat. Noticing how little food they had touched, Jamie tapped the table with a hint of exasperation. âAlright, you two. Mealtime is for eating, not whispering. Didnât your teachers teach you that at school?â Charlie immediately recognized that Jamie wasnât joking this time. She was genuinely a little upset. He quickly straightened up, putting on his most obedient expression as he picked up his utensils. âGot it, Mommy. Iâll eat properly now.â Jamie then turned her gaze to Orion, who, sensing her sternness, also sat upright and promised to focus on his food. With both boys settled and eating obediently, Jamie felt satisfied and
Ben glanced down at Jamieâs hand tightly holding his own. A faint smile flickered in his eyes, but the somber look on his face didnât fade completely. Jamie noticed and assumed he was still upset. Unsure how to console him, she simply kept holding his hand, refusing to let go. That was precisely what Ben had intended. âItâs about time to pick up Charlie, isnât it?â Jamie finally finished reading the case file, stretching as she glanced at the clock. It was already 4:00 PM. Preschool ended at 4:30, so if they left now, they would arrive just in time. Ben had already grabbed the car keys. âYeah, letâs go.â Fortunately, traffic wasnât bad, and they arrived at the preschool quickly. Jamie was scrolling through her phone when she suddenly said, âNina messaged me. Sheâs busy today and canât pick up Orion. She asked if we could swing by and get him.â They exchanged a look. Ben didnât seem fazed. Picking up one more child didnât make a difference to him. Jamie, ho
Most of the people nearby didnât know what had happened. They simply listened to the manâs loud retorts and, judging by his confidence, began to cast skeptical glances at Jamie.âShe looks so young. Why is she acting paranoid? How ridiculous.ââI donât think itâs paranoia, itâs overconfidence. They say too much confidence is a sickness, and she clearly needs treatment.ââOh, come on. I think sheâs actually really pretty. Why are you all so hostile toward her? Honestly, the guy couldâve been snooping like she said. She did mention it was about her documents.âHearing at least one voice defending her warmed Jamieâs heart. She turned and gave a smile to the young woman who had spoken up.The young woman froze for a moment, her face unexpectedly turning red. Embarrassed, she quickly looked down, pretending to sip her milk tea.Jamie didnât linger on the moment. She refocused her attention on the man, her tone calm but firm. âI never said you were staring at me. You were clearly tryin
The girl's death was caused by her being forced to run laps despite being on her period. She had requested to be excused, but the teacher denied her request. Left with no choice, she pushed through, only to suffer a severe hemorrhage. She wasnât treated in time and tragically passed away.The school defended itself, claiming the blame didnât rest solely on them. They argued the girl and her family bore significant responsibility. After all, they reasoned, no one else had any issues during the drills. Why was it only her?Jamieâs frustration boiled over as she read through the case materials. âA school this shameless actually exists!âBen tried to calm her. âTake it easy.âShe took a deep breath, then sighed after a long pause. âYouâre right. There are too many cases like this.âThe idea of valuing a life at a mere $5,000 sounded absurd, but it wasnât uncommon in reality. Examples of such injustices were everywhere, stemming from the lack of clear legal protections.âAnd thatâs no
âWhose legal documents are these?â one of the investigators asked.âTheyâre mine,â Jamie replied. âIâve been using them to prepare for a competition.âAfter she explained the situation, the investigator handed the documents back to her and issued a warning, emphasizing that such legal materials should not be present within the company. With that, they left.The man, clearly stunned, called after them, his voice rising with disbelief. âDid you even check properly? Heâs a lawyer! How can a lawyer run a company as its president? Isnât that against the rules?â The officials followed the direction of his finger and turned to look at Ben. Their expressions shifted into something between amusement and confusion, as though the man had asked an absurd question. âHis law license was revoked a long time ago,â one of them stated plainly. The man froze, then shouted in denial, âThatâs impossible!â âWhy would it be impossible?â The official frowned, his tone growing stern. âWhen his l
Ben wouldnât let Jamie fight his battles for him.He pulled her behind him, shielding her, and addressed the crowd with a cold expression. âIf thatâs the case, letâs have the authorities investigate.âJamie stared at him, stunned.She understood the saying, âA clear conscience fears no accusation.â As long as Ben had nothing to hide, there was no reason to be afraid. But these people werenât here for the truth, they were looking for trouble. It was likely orchestrated by their defeated opponents, timed to create chaos. Even if nothing incriminating was found, the media would seize the opportunity to smear them.Ben was doing this for her, disregarding himself completely.She was touched, but also anxious. She wanted to pull him back.However, Ben wasnât budging this time. His warm but firm hand enveloped hers, silently telling her not to stop him.âWhatâs the matter? Afraid?â Ben asked, his hands casually in his pockets, raising an eyebrow with a hint of defiance.The loudest
âThereâs a surveillance camera overhead, just so you know,â Ben said coldly, his gaze sharp as a blade. âI get it that youâre here to stick up for Summer. But let me be clear: whatever happened between the Lucas family and the Larson family is none of your business.âHe held up the empty glass, his tone unwavering. âThat drink was a warning. Donât even think about testing my limits.âJamie was his limitâhis bottom line. He wouldnât allow anyone to harm or disrespect her.Lilaâs voice rang out, dripping with mockery as she addressed the gathering crowd. âDid everyone hear that? Heâs threatening me with a drink as a âwarning.â Anyone here would agree this behavior is out of line. And all because I said a few words?âBen Lucas, someone like you will get whatâs coming to you!â Lila snapped, her voice sharp and bitter. âDoesnât anyone wonder why someone who was doing so well as a lawyer suddenly gave it all up to become a CEO? Doesnât everyone know lawyers arenât supposed to engage in b
Jamie and Ben didnât care about anyone elseâs opinions.âYou really think you and Ben can last?â The womanâs tone dripped with disdain. âDonât forget, your statuses are worlds apart. If Ben didnât care, why would he keep bringing you to events like these? Clearly, he does care.âJamie noticed the womanâs provocative glare. Her elegance and poise were unmistakable, but her words revealed a heart filled with malice.With a calm but cutting tone, Jamie responded, âEven if Ben does care, thatâs his business, not yours. And letâs be honest, youâd never have the courage to say this in front of him, would you? So, whatâs the point of saying it to me?âJamie didnât even bother to take the woman seriously. Her relationship with Ben was her own, and she knew better than anyone how much he valued her.The woman sneered. âOh, trust me, Iâd say it to his face. But I assumed you had some self-awareness. Clearly, I was mistaken. Youâre pathetic, Jamie.âWith that, she spun on her heels and walk
âI was with Nash and the others today,â Ben said as he leaned back into the couch. âJamie, tomorrow I want to take you to an exclusive high-society gala. If thereâs anything you want or need for the occasion, just let me know.âFor Jamie, the idea of attending such events held little appeal. What truly mattered to her was simply being by Benâs side. Yet, Ben seemed determined to introduce her to this world, using his connections and influence to elevate her standing and help her thrive.But Jamieâs heart leaned toward a simpler life, one focused on family and the small joys within their home.âYouâve already given me everything I could ever wantâfriends, a safe life, love. I donât feel drawn to these events. Can I skip this one?â she asked gently. Spending time with Charlie and bringing him over to play with Orion sounded like a better plan.Benâs gaze softened. âIf you really donât want to go, Iâll respect your choice. But skipping out might not look great. There will be more occa