Linda's face stiffened, hands clenched tightly, digging into her palms. Nash saw her unable to speak, his brows furrowing tightly, and asked sharply, "Is it that hard to answer?"At that moment, Nina hurriedly rushed back from outside, just in time to hear Nash's sharp question from inside. She arrived late and then released her hold on the door handle.Linda hesitated for a long while, coupled with Nash's pressing demeanor, her inner pressure suddenly surged. She lifted her gaze to the cold and indifferent man before her. This man was not easy to deal with and quite dangerous; one wrong step and she could fall into irretrievable ruin. Timidly, she said, "That hotel... There are... many wealthy people. I need money. If I could meet a wealthy man, I wouldn't have to work so hard."Nash furrowed his brows even deeper, his gaze toward her changing. Her words amounted to nothing more than selling herself for money. Indeed, in today's society, there were many such people, exchanging th
Linda cried hard, her emotions breaking down, as if she had truly spent a night with Nash. Nina felt unsure now, as it seemed settled, so she had no choice but to leave the lounge.When she emerged, the office was abuzz, everyone clueless about what transpired inside. All they knew was that a unfamiliar girl had waited in the lounge for hours, and Nash had finally gone to see her, emerging with a cold and displeased expression."What happened in there, Nina?" a curious colleague asked. As soon as one person asked, countless ears wanted to eavesdrop. Nina glanced at them and remarked, "You're itching to find out, huh? Why not go ask Mr. York?" Her words held weight, and the moment "Mr. York" was mentioned, even the most curious refrained from probing further, turning their attention back to their tasks.Nina spent some time in the pantry. Everything seemed unrelated to her, yet somehow connected, but she couldn't speak up. She felt very conflicted. Why had she appeared again, goi
The helper brought the tea and placed it on the coffee table. "Madam, your tea," he said. Linda dared not be presumptuous. Upon seeing the helper approach, she quickly tossed aside the cushion and sat upright, politely addressing the helper, "Thank you very much." She looked at the cup on the table, still emitting steam. The porcelain was exquisite, and the tea was infused with roses, delicate, exuding a fragrance of roses. She took a sip, and the faint scent spread in her mouth. She felt like everything had become much more sophisticated. "It's delicious. I've never had such delicious tea before," she remarked.Perhaps she had never seen such a luxurious place before. At this moment, everything she saw and drank seemed to be the best. Even the tea felt different from that in other people's homes.It was the helper's duty to serve people well, so upon hearing the praise, he responded, "You're too kind, Madam." With that, he withdrew.Linda stared at the helper for a long time.
Nina ignored her and headed for the door. A car pulled up and she got in. Linda could only watch as the car drove away. It wasn't until the shadow of the car disappeared that Linda shifted her gaze. Even in the luxurious villa behind her, she felt a bit uncomfortable being alone.However, Linda's current concern was greater. Why didn't Nina believe her when Nash already did? Nina was a good person. Maybe if Linda explained everything to her again one day, she might believe her! Comforting herself this way, Linda felt a bit better and turned to go back inside. The helpers were busy tidying up her room. After they finished, they politely informed her and she entered her room. The bedroom was spacious, with a large bed—fit for a princess—complete with the canopy she had always dreamed of, larger than the entire space of her old house. Everything was brand new.Opening the closet, she found rows of beautiful dresses, a dazzling array. Such scenes, everything before her, she had onl
Sally took pleasure in putting Nina down to feed her own sense of superiority. Nina's hurt and distress further fueled Sally's desire for revenge significantly.Successfully observing Nina's pale complexion and unhappy expression, she smirked with satisfaction, her demeanor changing as she no longer bothered to engage with her. Speaking more would have been just a waste of breath.Sally's words weren't entirely without merit.There was another woman still living in the villa.In Nina's impression, Nash was someone who knew his boundaries and wouldn't casually show leniency to women outside.He had rejected Melody so quickly, but hadn't rejected Linda, and even arranged for her to stay in the villa. Wasn't this a form of favoritism?Nash had been convinced that Linda was the woman he encountered that night, and it had been her first time. She had appeared so fragile, in need of protection, which might have evoked different feelings.Perhaps he had even felt she was different fr
His words warmed Linda's heart enough for her to sit close to him. "Mr. York, can someone like me really go to college?""Yes." Linda smiled happily, her lips forming a gentle curve. "Mr. York, you're so kind to me. You're the best person in the world to me!"This statement caused a slight change in Nash's expression. He set down the newspaper he was holding. Nina watched them, observing their harmonious interaction and genuine laughter, the first time she had seen such a lively scene. Even when Nash was with Miranda, he didn't appear as relaxed.Linda's easy-to-please smile was evident. Just the thought of going to school made her this happy, which was indeed different from many others. She was innocent and inexperienced, making people see her as pure and deserving of sympathy. Perhaps that was her charm."Madam, why don't you come in and sit?" Nina stood at the door and was politely asked by a passing helper. Her words were overheard by those inside. Nash shifted his gaze to
He did as she wanted; she should be feeling really happy now.Nina remained silent. Seeing their gloomy faces, Linda tried to lighten the mood, saying, "Nina, why don't you stay and have dinner with me?" "I'm telling you, the cook’s dishes here are really delicious. Whatever you want to eat, she can make it. Isn't that amazing? You must try her cooking!" Linda introduced eagerly. Nina's gaze shifted to Linda. "It's not necessary..." "It is, it is," Linda quickly replied, then looked at Nash as if she hadn't said it to him, "Mr. York, can Nina stay for dinner with me? I've been here for so long, and I don't even have someone to eat with. It's very lonely." Nash glanced at Nina and said indifferently, "As you wish." Satisfied with the response, Linda continued to pester Nina, "See, Mr. York agreed, it's okay." She was afraid Nina would feel awkward with Nash around. "Okay then." Nina didn't delay any further and agreed to have dinner with her. "This quiet p
Nina glanced back at her, noticing the smile on her lips and the look of admiration in her eyes. She recognized that look—admiration, a desire to understand everything about him. She, too, wanted to be the one who understood him the most."I know him a little," Nina said casually. "So, what exactly do you want to know from me about him?"Linda didn't hide anything, confessing to her openly, "I want to know everything. The more I understand him, the less likely I'll upset him."Nina asked again, "So, you think if you understand him well, don't upset him, and make him satisfied with everything, he'll like you more?"Linda blushed in embarrassment. "Is it that obvious to you? Does Mr. York also notice that I might have a bit of a crush on him?"Nina remained silent, noticing that Linda did not conceal her own ambitions."It's just not right. He sees right through everything. If I try too hard to please him, will I seem desperate?" Linda pondered, wanting to become the one Mr. York a
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