Miss Flores intentionally gave them the wrong address. Was she afraid they might call the police?Nina stepped out from behind the door with a polite smile, addressing the plump woman, "Sorry to bother you, we’re looking for a friend. Her name is Miss Flores. Do you know her?"The woman thought for a moment before slapping her thigh in realization. "Oh, Miss Flores? Yeah, I know her. She’s upstairs. I heard she bought the whole floor. She’s well-off, but it’s a sad story. Her son passed away."After sharing this, the woman closed the door, leaving them to ponder. Her son had died, and she bought the entire floor, yet she told them it was Unit 501. What was her intention? Was it really just to prevent them from involving the police?Nina and Nash exchanged glances, both sharing the same suspicions.What they didn’t know was that every move they made was being watched by Miss Flores.At that moment, Miss Flores sipped red wine, listening to children’s songs while lovingly gazing
Before Nash could react, Nina lunged at Miss Flores. Her movements were swift as lightning, and she quickly locked her arm around Miss Flores’ neck."Whether we love Orion or not isn’t up for you to judge. But what happens to you next is up to us!"Raising Orion in the entertainment world was supposed to be just a way to nurture his interest in acting. But it had turned into a nightmare, with people like Miss Flores taking advantage of the situation.Miss Flores instinctively struggled, but Nina’s grip was strong, and she couldn’t break free. Furious, Miss Flores shouted, "Do you think capturing me will help Orion? I’m telling you, that poison was custom-made!"What parent doesn’t love their child? Especially in a family like Orion’s, where he was the only child of loving parents from a wealthy background. Miss Flores had counted on this, crafting her plan step by step. But what she hadn’t anticipated was how calm Nina and Nash were in the face of this crisis. Nina kicked Miss
Early in the morning, after the doctor finished his rounds, Orion jumped out of bed, insisting on being discharged. Pharaoh, feeling helpless, had no choice but to call Nina. After getting her approval, they proceeded with the discharge.As they stepped out of the hospital, they were suddenly blocked by a group of reporters. One of them pushed a microphone in front of Orion and bluntly asked, "Orion, you’ve missed a few days of the variety show recording. Is it because you were really sick or just being difficult?"Orion didn't know how to respond and looked up at Pharaoh. Calm and experienced, Pharaoh picked Orion up and faced the reporters with a smile. "Orion had a cold and fever recently, which is why he missed the recording. But don't worry, he's recovering well, and after a couple of days of rest, he'll be back on the show.""Just a cold and fever? Does he really need two more days of rest? And who are you to him? Isn't his mother supposed to be his guardian?" The reporter
"No need," Nash replied coolly. "Since it’s my wife's decision, we’ll handle it her way. Don’t bother asking me for favors. I always follow my wife’s lead."With that, Nash hung up, a cold glint in his eyes. He immediately instructed Quincy to investigate this so-called child star, Orin. The information was quickly sent to his inbox.After reviewing it, a sinister smile played on Nash’s lips as he called Quincy. "Based on what you found, make sure this Orin never has a comeback.""I’m on it."Dealing with a child star was a simple task. Within half an hour, Nash’s phone rang again, but he ignored it and turned on the TV instead. The screen showed the breaking news. Orin’s guardian had been arrested for illegal contracts, and his entire management company was under investigation.The caller must have been desperate, but there was nothing they could do now.When Nina heard about it from the bodyguards, she rushed home, threw her arms around Nash, and planted a big kiss on him."
Nash brought Orion over and quickened his pace when he heard Nina vomiting. "What’s wrong? Why are you throwing up? Are you feeling unwell?""I’m fine, just..." Nina trailed off as she started retching again. This time, it was more violently than before, tears welling up in her eyes.Nash scooped her up and started heading out, "I’m taking you to the hospital for a check-up. Dad, could you please look after Orion?"Pharaoh, who had been observing silently, finally spoke, "You know I’m a doctor, right? You don’t need to go anywhere."He had his suspicions but wanted to confirm them. Nash, realizing he had overreacted, smiled awkwardly. He set Nina down, scratching his head, unsure of what to say next.With a clearer idea of what to check, Pharaoh instructed Nina to take a urine test. The results confirmed his hunch. He couldn’t contain his smile as he handed the test results to Nash. "You’re going to be a father again.""I’m going to be a father again?" Nash repeated, staring
No one had ever dared to speak so arrogantly in front of Nash before. His eyes narrowed as a surge of fury ignited within him, wrapping him in a menacing aura. It was making him seem like a demon emerging from the depths of hell."Do you even know who he is?" Nina, not one to flaunt status, couldn't help but point out this reckless behavior. This young man clearly had no idea who he was dealing with. And that name he mentioned. Wasn't it suspiciously similar to Orion's?The young man scoffed coldly. "Nash Ford? Who doesn’t know him? The guy who sent his foster mother to a nursing home, whose foster father mysteriously died afterward? He used despicable methods to climb his way up, and no one even knows who his real father is. He’s a bastard."The last word was spat out with venom, his voice heavy with disdain.Nash would not tolerate such insolence. Just as he was about to make his move, there was a sudden flash. There was a camera clicking.The young man raised his voice deli
But the young man didn't even get a chance to call for help.After he was taken away, Nash walked over to Nina. "In situations like that, I can handle it. Why did you have to step in?"Nash held Nina's hand, then wrapped his arm around her waist. After being apart for five years, Nash treasured Nina even more. And now that she was pregnant, he treated her with the utmost care, as if she were a fragile treasure."I couldn’t stand it. With his mouth running like that, didn't he deserve to be slapped?"Nash wasn’t some "nobody." Nash was the third prince of Salterra, the one Dominic had intended to groom into a future president.If it weren’t for Nina and their children, Nash might have stayed in Salterra to take on that role. How could a spoiled brat like that young man have the audacity to belittle him?Besides, Nash wasn’t just her husband, he was the father of their children. Of course, she couldn’t let that go."He did deserve it. But you shouldn’t have to get your hands dir
A mocking smile played on Nash's lips. "So, what now? You expect me to bow my head, apologize, and compensate you, and everything will be fine? Otherwise, if I don't play along, you'll hold me accountable, and I'll have to face the consequences myself?"Although Nash was smiling, the coldness in his eyes was unmistakable.These people were seasoned in the political arena, having dealt with all kinds of individuals before. They weren't easily intimidated by Nash’s demeanor. But they were determined to make him pay for his actions."Since you understand, then it's best you comply," one of them said.But there was no way Nash would let himself be outmatched, especially by someone trying to use their position to strong-arm him.Since they had come to him with this approach, Nash decided to take action. He made a single phone call, and soon after, the disciplinary committee arrived to investigate the young man and his family. The investigation revealed that Orin had been trying to ri
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