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
Faced with Yvonne’s reaction, Nigel wasn’t upset. In fact, he found her even more endearing. Bringing her to the art exhibit was just the first step in his carefully planned day. He had planned activities that couples typically would enjoy doing together which included lunch, shopping, and a movie.Yvonne, however, was a bit distracted and didn’t realize where the car was headed until Nigel parked at the shopping district."Where are we going?" she asked, noticing that he had everything planned out, though she didn’t want to spend the day with him.With a gentle smile, Nigel stepped out and offered his hand to help her. "My dear Miss Yvonne, today is all about you. Next on the agenda is lunch at a French restaurant. I hope it’s to your liking."Yvonne furrowed her brows. "I’m sorry, Nigel. I’m not sure if I’ve done something to give you the wrong idea, but I need to make it clear that I…""You don’t like French cuisine?" he interrupted, deliberately misunderstanding her.Realiz
The next moment, Yvonne broke into tears. She did not even know what she was crying for. All she knew was that she felt an overwhelming sadness, something she needed to release. Nina wrapped her arms around her, gently patting her back in silent comfort while shooting a warning glance at Joe.The look was laced with reproach, but Joe didn't seem to care. Instead, he thanked Nina for taking care of Yvonne during this time. As he spoke, he nodded toward his assistant, who handed over a gift.Nina narrowed her eyes in displeasure. "What is this, Mr. Turner? Surely you know your position here."Joe smiled slightly. "I know this is just a small token, and I’m aware Mrs. York probably doesn’t care for such things. But it's all I can offer. It's the thought that counts, I hope you'll accept it.""No, thanks. I don’t accept gifts when no favors have been done. We don’t know each other that well," Nina replied coldly, clearly uninterested in prolonging the interaction. She turned to Yvonn
Yvonne did not want to receive the flowers Joe had sent her.However, when the delivery person arrived, she hurried out to sign for them before Nina could notice. She had not changed her mind. She just did not want Nina to find out.After ripping up the card and tossing the flowers into the trash bin outside, Yvonne walked back inside the house. As soon as she entered, she was greeted by Nina's knowing smile. Yvonne forced an awkward grin, then quickly turned to head upstairs."You know, whatever you're doing, I support you. We're best friends, and you don’t need to worry about me finding out," Nina said, cutting straight to the heart of it. She had already sensed that Yvonne was hiding something.Yvonne felt a pang of guilt. She licked her lips and replied, "I know you're always looking out for me. I just don’t want you to worry. I’ve got this under control, trust me. Just give me some time."Nina raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Is the person sending flowers really that important? E
Yvonne instinctively turned to flee, but Joe was quicker, catching up and grabbing her arm. "I’ll take you home," he said."No need, Nina’s on her way," Yvonne replied, using her friend as a shield. Nina was the only person she could rely on in moments like this."I swear, I won’t do anything. Just let me drive you back," Joe promised, showing her the IV needle still in his wrist. "Even if I wanted to, I don’t have the strength. I’ve been on IV drips for days, and standing here is making me dizzy."Before she could respond, a gust of wind blew rain against them. Joe did not wait for an answer. He scooped Yvonne up and shoved her into the car.Yvonne gave up struggling, her gaze empty as she stared out the window. Inside the car, Joe gently held her face, his voice soft, "Don’t look at me like that. Don’t treat me this way. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you these past few days... but, never mind. You wouldn’t understand. Just know, I’ve never lied to you. Please, believe