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
Zion said, "Nina is married now and has her own family. If she comes with us, what about Orion? Nash wouldn’t let her go alone."Julia responded, "What’s there to worry about? They can all come with us."Julia's idea was good, but it wasn't up to them to decide."It still depends on whether Nash agrees or not," Zion added.Julia, unhappy with Zion's comment, replied, "Just because they’re married and have their own family doesn’t mean Nina is cut off from us. It certainly doesn’t mean she’s Nash’s possession."Marriage might create a new family, but Nina was still free to make her own choices, not bound to ask Nash for permission.Zion continued, "Now’s not the time to discuss this. What matters is what Nina wants."Nina responded, "If I go with you, I’ll just be a burden. Now that I’m pregnant, my appetite is all over the place. It’s better if you both stay here with me for a while. Then I’ll see you off when it’s time."Julia insisted, "It’s not about being a burden, and it’s
"I'll go make dinner and cook your favorite dishes," Julia said, pulling Zion into the kitchen. Once inside, she shared her plan, "I still think Nina should come stay with us. When Nash gets back, make sure you back me up."Zion sighed, ready to protest, but the look Julia gave him silenced him. With a reluctant nod, he agreed.It wasn't long before the meal was ready, filled with all of Nina's favorite foods. As they sat down, Julia served Nina, noticing the slight frown on her face. "I know the first trimester can be rough, but you need to eat a little of everything. Try to eat whatever you can, even if it makes you feel nauseous.""But the nausea has been really intense," Nina replied. This wasn't her first pregnancy, but this time the morning sickness was hitting her hard, to the point where just looking at food made her stomach churn.Julia placed a piece of fish in Nina's bowl. "That’s exactly why you should eat more. The more you eat, the less awful it will feel when you d
Nash gently placed her back on the sofa and smiled, "Not bad at all. I quite enjoyed that. I’m looking forward to our next session." With that, he quickly escaped to the bathroom, and soon the sound of running water filled the room. Nina knew exactly what was going on and couldn’t help but smile to herself.The next morning, Julia woke up early, waiting for Nash. As soon as she saw him coming downstairs, she approached him. "Nash, there's something I want to discuss with you."Nash nodded and joined her on the sofa. "Sure, what’s on your mind?""I’d like Nina to come stay with us for a while. I mentioned it to her yesterday, but she’s a bit hesitant. I think if you agree, she’ll be more likely to go along with it."Julia’s request put Nash in a difficult position. Work was hectic, and agreeing would mean being separated from Nina. The thought of being apart from her, even for a short time, was hard for him to accept. After all, they had missed out on so much time together, and
After dinner, the three of them sat around the coffee table, reminiscing about old times. The atmosphere was warm and nostalgic. Nina was reluctant to leave and go to bed, and it wasn’t until Julia pretended to be upset that she finally agreed to head to her room.As she was getting ready for bed, Nina went to the bathroom and suddenly felt that something was wrong. When she looked down, she saw blood."Mom! Mom, come quickly!" Nina called out in a panic, completely unsure of what to do and instinctively reaching out for Julia.Julia rushed over, alarmed at the sight of a few drops of blood on the floor. She quickly helped Nina get dressed and guided her back to bed before calling for Zion at the door.Seeing blood during pregnancy could be serious, and neither Julia nor Zion dared to delay. They immediately took Nina to the hospital.After a thorough examination, the doctor diagnosed it as a threatened miscarriage and recommended that Nina stay in the hospital to rest and take
Nash hesitated, feeling uneasy. He wasn't sure what the back room of the nurse's station was used for, but the fact that they were alone, combined with Lisa's earlier behavior, made him wary."You should bring it out. If it's not convenient, I can come back later," he said, preparing to leave.Lisa, called out, "Mr. York, do you really think I'd try something? Relax, there are cameras everywhere. What could I possibly do?"Reluctantly, Nash stepped inside but only stood at the doorway.Lisa immediately moved closer to him. She wasn't in her nurse's uniform anymore, but instead wore a strappy short dress that showed off her figure. Nash kept his gaze straight ahead, refusing to look at her. "Nurse Lisa, where's the medication?" he asked.Lisa pouted, "Mr. York, I strained my back while getting your wife's medicine. Could you rub it for me?" She grabbed his hand, trying to place it on her back.Nash quickly pulled his hand away, forcefully pushing her off. His expression turned
Nash didn’t wait for the nurse to speak. He immediately called the hospital director and made his stance clear that Lisa had to be fired. Lisa panicked, clutching Nash’s legs and begging, "Mr. York, I realize my mistake. Please, give me another chance. My parents went through so much to get me this job. I can't let them down.""If you were truly concerned about your parents’ efforts, you wouldn’t have slandered me," Nina stated firmly. "Director, if she's not fired, I’ll escalate this matter, and if the hospital gets dragged into it, don’t say I didn’t warn you."Understanding Nash’s influence, the director immediately had Lisa removed from the hospital. Her cries and protests echoed through the entire floor as she was dragged out. The director apologized profusely to the couple and reassigned the head nurse to take over Lisa's duties.Nash was satisfied and, on his way out, mentioned that he would fund the renovation of the inpatient department. The director was overjoyed and tha
"Not a chance," Lisa snapped, her agitation causing the pliers to nick Nina's neck. Blood trickled down, and the onlookers gasped in horror."Well, then I can’t agree to your demands. Do whatever you want," Nash said, pulling out his phone, pretending to call the police, though his eyes never left Lisa. He was ready to act the moment she made a move.Lisa hesitated, realizing too late that she should have acted when she first entered the room. The arrival of the hospital director only added to her unease."Lisa, what are you doing? Let her go!" the director pleaded, trying to approach her. But Lisa pulled Nina closer and backed toward the window.Nina, sensing the danger, spoke softly, "You can still stop this. Once the police get here, it will be too late to turn back.""Think about your parents," the director added, hoping to appeal to her sense of reason.Nash quietly inched closer, but Lisa noticed and panicked. "If you come any closer, I’ll do it!" she screamed, tightening h
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