Not wanting to disappoint her fan, Yvonne reluctantly agreed to the additional exhibit. The meeting had not gone the way she had planned, and during the rest of the conversation, she was half-engaged, eager for it to be over.Finally, the investor took a phone call and excused himself, leaving Yvonne to breathe a sigh of relief.Nina pouted. "What am I going to do with you? You don’t want to keep benefiting from Joe’s protection, but you also can’t bear to let your fans down.""It’s fine. Joe hasn’t woken up yet, right? I can’t leave anyway, so I might as well go along with the investor’s plans. If we cooperate this time, next time they won’t give us any trouble," Yvonne said with a bitter smile, though she had little confidence in her words.She had been ready to breach her contract and pay the penalty, but now she was caught in organizing yet another exhibit. Yvonne sighed deeply.Nina shot her an exasperated look.As they were heading downstairs, Nina caught sight of the woman
On the day of the art exhibit, as soon as the host made the announcement, fans rushed into the gallery."What’s going on? There’s not a single painting here! What kind of exhibit is this? We want a refund!""Refund! Refund immediately!"The demands grew louder, and soon everyone was calling for their money back.The host was stunned, and so was Yvonne.She had spent countless sleepless nights painting, producing a total of 99 pieces. The 100th painting had been damaged, preventing her from completing the collection. But now, none of her paintings were at the exhibit.It did not make sense.The investors arrived after hearing the commotion. Seeing the crowd gathered at the entrance, one of them went inside to investigate, convinced there must be a misunderstanding. But after walking through the exhibit, he confirmed that there wasn’t a single painting on display.Angry, the investor snapped, "I don’t care what happened, but this is the height of unprofessionalism. You can expect
"Thank you for the ride, and for helping me out today," Yvonne said as she got out of the car in front of Nina’s house.There was no hesitation in her actions, so swift and final that it left Nigel, momentarily stunned. He was used to girls eagerly wanting to establish a connection with him, but Yvonne was different. She seemed eager to distance herself.Feeling a pang of disappointment, Nigel called out, "Aren’t you going to invite me in for a moment?"When Yvonne turned to look at him, he flashed his most charming smile. "I’m suddenly really thirsty. How about a cup of tea?"Yvonne frowned slightly. "Sorry, I’m just a guest here too. It wouldn’t be appropriate. You should head home, Mr. Gibson."With that, Yvonne turned and quickly walked away without another word.Watching her retreating figure, Nigel felt a wave of frustration, muttering under his breath, "I’m such an idiot." He realized too late that Yvonne wasn’t like the other girls. The usual lines he used didn’t work on
Nina thought for a moment before adding, "Don’t worry, I’ll settle this score for you. If they dare to mess with you, they’re messing with me. I refuse to believe Winona can cause that much trouble here in Birkham."Yvonne felt comforted by Nina’s support and hugged her tightly, whispering multiple thank-yous. No matter how many times she said it, she couldn’t express her full gratitude. Right now, the only thing she could give Nina was her heartfelt thanks.Now that they knew Winona was behind the sabotage of the art exhibit, Nina decided it was time to stop being passive. After leaving Yvonne’s room, she went straight to Nash and shared her plan to gather evidence and present it to the investors so they would go after Winona instead.But Nash shook his head. "Gathering evidence will take too long. The investors won’t give Yvonne the time she needs, considering the scale of their losses. We need to make the enemy confess.""You’ve got a plan?" Nina asked with a knowing smile, sens
Nigel watched with envy as Nina and Nash shared an easy, close rapport. He couldn’t help but wonder when he might occupy a similar place in Yvonne’s heart and when she might see him as someone she could lean on."Oh, right," he said, snapping out of his thoughts. "It sounded like you had an idea of who’s behind this. Tell me, and I’ll help you get justice."Yvonne let out a bitter laugh and shook her head. "How could I know who it is? I just don’t understand why someone would do this. What’s in it for them?""Everything has a motive," Nigel said thoughtfully. "Whoever did this clearly wants to ruin you, but the benefit they gain depends on their relationship with you."He walked over and ran his fingers over the red letters on the wall. "This message doesn’t feel like it’s from a competitor."Yvonne gave another bitter smile and walked over to join Nina and Nash, who were deep in discussion. They both seemed to agree that Winona was behind it all, but to pin it on her, they needed
Yvonne showed Nina the message, and the commanding tone in Joe’s words was unmistakable."You’re not going," Nina said firmly. "What’s he going to do about it? Even if he somehow finds this place, we have Nash here, and worst-case scenario, Nigel can help too, right?"Nina’s instincts told her there was something unspoken and troubling between Yvonne and Joe. She didn’t push for details, but she wasn’t about to let her friend fall deeper into a bad situation.Yvonne, who deep down had no desire to see Joe, hesitated for a moment before deleting the message.Back in the hotel lobby, Nigel approached them, holding a bouquet of roses behind his back."Yvonne, I wish you happiness every day and a handsome guy like me to brighten your life," he said with a playful grin, handing her the flowers."I’ve been wanting to give you roses for a while but could never find the right moment. Then I heard from Mr. York that you had a close call recently, and it really shook me. So I figured, why
Fortunately, Joe wasn’t in any serious condition. The doctor emphasized he should only be getting out of bed occasionally, let alone leaving the hospital. While the doctor was explaining, his gaze lingered on Yvonne, making her feel uneasy.Sensing her discomfort, Nina stepped forward, pulling Yvonne behind her and locking eyes with the doctor. "Excuse me, why are you looking at my friend like that? The family member listed in the patient records is Winona Turner, not Yvonne. Are you sure you’ve got the right person?"The doctor offered a nervous smile. "Oh, I definitely recognize Mrs. Turner. It’s just that while Mr. Turner was unconscious, he kept calling out Yvonne’s name. And hearing you all refer to this young lady as Yvonne, I was curious to know what kind of person could have such a hold on Mr. Turner’s heart?"His comment left everyone stunned, all eyes shifting to Joe. Nigel, clearly unsettled, stepped in front of Yvonne and snapped back at the doctor, "Just because he mu
"Both exhibits were his doing?" Yvonne could not believe it.Nash nodded, lowering his voice further. "At this point, it looks like Winona wasn’t involved. If you make a fuss about it now, it could backfire on you. Just hold off for now, and we’ll figure out a new plan."Nina walked over, gently taking Yvonne’s hand to comfort her. "We know you’re not that kind of person. Let people think whatever they want. It doesn’t change the truth."Yvonne understood, but the frustration still burned inside her.Just then, Winona let out a cold laugh and sneered, "Mrs. York, let me give you some advice. Since you’re pregnant, you should stay away from women like her. When something bad happens, you won’t know who to blame."Nina responded with an icy smile. "Don’t worry about me. Maybe you should focus on helping Mr. Turner recover. The doctor said he won’t be getting out of bed for at least a couple of weeks. If he pushes it, it might just affect your marital satisfaction." She emphasized th
Vera's expression changed completely as she looked at the family. “What are you talking about? Why would I stay here? I have my own life.” “Vera, didn’t you say you couldn’t find your brother?” Alice’s voice grew anxious. “Then take my brother instead! He’ll protect both of us. This is a good thing for you! Don’t tell me you think my brother isn’t good enough?“His leg isn’t perfect, and he can’t do heavy labor, but he’s not useless. And I can help him with the farm work—we can do it together!” Her words were absurd. If Vera had known this was her real intention, she never would have accepted her help. “Enough, both of you, stop talking.”Gerald had lived long enough to understand that his son and Vera were worlds apart. He also knew that there was no way she would willingly stay. But plenty of women in the village hadn’t wanted to stay either. That didn’t matter. As long as she was here, that was enough. He got straight to the point. “Our village
The young girl suddenly looked torn. In their village, getting a wife was extremely difficult. Families with a little money could sometimes bring a wife in from outside, but for families like hers, who had nothing to offer, it was nearly impossible. To make things worse, her brother had a bad leg. As a child, he had been mocked by other kids. He could still walk, but not quickly—and he couldn’t do the heavy farm work required to support a family. Now that he was getting older and still living alone, she felt incredibly anxious. Today, by some stroke of luck, she had met a woman in the mountains who was as beautiful as a goddess. She was determined to make this woman her sister-in-law. But if she left now, what if the woman ran away or was taken away by someone else in the village? What would happen to her brother then? *“It’s already so late,” Vera said gently. “Even if everyone in the village knows each other, it’s still not safe for a young girl
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