"No, Grandpa, I need to see Yvonne. I want to stay by her side," Nigel's plea fell on deaf ears as none of his elders stepped in to support him.With such a big scandal, everyone instinctively aligned with what would protect the family’s interests. The consequences of this event were clear to all, and the Gibson family was not about to endure such humiliation.Nigel was taken upstairs, and Mr. Gibson Sr. ordered Shirley, "Go handle this matter. Make sure to sever all ties with the Turner family. A family like theirs isn’t fit to be connected to us."Shirley nodded. Even without Mr. Gibson Sr.’s instructions, she would have done the same. No mother would stand by while her child was publicly humiliated, and certainly not a mother from a family as powerful as the Gibsons.On the other side, Joe could never have imagined being so ruthlessly betrayed by Winona. This kind of backstabbing not only cost him his dignity but also the reputation of the entire Turner family.He glared at Win
Joe, get lost. She’s your sister!" Winona snapped, throwing Yvonne’s identity in his face.Joe looked at her like she was telling a joke. He was about to say something when his phone rang. It was his assistant, whom he had stationed at the hospital to keep him updated. Any news about Yvonne, especially when she woke up, was to be relayed to him immediately.Anything involving Yvonne made Joe tense up. He quickly answered, "What’s going on?""The Gibson family is here. Mrs. Gibson herself came and said they want to call off the wedding. She also said, considering Yvonne’s current state, they won’t ask for compensation, but..."The assistant trailed off, making Joe lose his patience. "But what? Spit it out!""Well, judging by Mrs. Gibson’s tone, it sounds like she intends to make life difficult for the Turner family from now on."Joe did not care about that. He chuckled bitterly and ordered, "Keep watching Yvonne. Let me know the second she wakes up." After a moment’s thought,
"Yvonne, please, don't scare me." Joe hesitated as he reached for her hand, afraid that he might frighten her, and pulled back.Yvonne giggled absentmindedly. "I'm not Yvonne. I'm Little Sister." She got out of bed and wandered over to the couch. She picked up a cup of water from the table, not even aware of how long it had been sitting there or who had drunk from it. Joe hurried over and snatched the cup away.Yvonne looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.Joe quickly fetched a fresh cup, his voice soft and soothing. "Here, take this. You want some water, right? I'll pour it for you.""Water, I want water," she said in a childlike tone, completely unaware of how deeply it pained Joe to see her like this.The sight of her, so lost and broken, made his chest ache. He regretted not stopping Winona when he had the chance. He blamed himself for what had happened to Yvonne. Gently brushing her hair from her forehead, a thought began to form in Joe’s mind.He wanted to keep Y
Before the assistant could finish his sentence, Joe shot him a look that made him go silent.Joe did not want to use underhanded tactics anymore. He wanted Yvonne to stay by his side willingly. After talking with the doctor about some care details, Joe left to buy a small cake. When he returned, he saw Nina trying to help Yvonne eat. However, Yvonne was refusing, despite Nina’s patient coaxing.Joe walked over, took the food away, and placed the small cake on the table.The moment Yvonne saw the cake, her face lit up, and she clapped her hands, shouting, "Cake! Cake!"Joe felt a wave of relief and excitement. Acting surprised, he said, "Does Little Sister like cake? Then I will buy you all the cake you want. How does that sound?"Yvonne beamed, nodding eagerly, "Yes! I want lots of cake!"Nina pulled Joe aside, warning him, "If you keep giving her cake, she’ll never eat proper meals."Joe smirked confidently, "Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she eats her meals. Thrice a day, no ex
Nash could not help but laugh, a bit bewildered by her thought process. He cupped Nina's face and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I don’t think so. Look at us! We're proof that people who love each other end up together, right?""I’m talking about Yvonne," Nina said, still focused on her friend's situation, not wanting to steer the conversation back to themselves.Nash gestured for her to look. At that moment, Yvonne was sitting on Joe’s back, treating him like a horse. "You have to trust that everything happens for a reason, even if it seems ridiculous. This might just be the best thing for her."He did not mention how the Gibsons had slandered Yvonne after everything fell apart. Seeing how Joe took care of her now, Nash felt that this outcome might be better than marrying into the Gibson family. Yvonne, with her personality, would never have survived under the control of Nigel’s mother, let alone the aunts.Suddenly, Yvonne yelped and jumped off Joe’s back, starting to pull do
Day after day, Joe could not avoid his duties at the company any longer, but Yvonne refused to let anyone else near her. With no other option, he started bringing her to the office. To ensure she wasn’t disturbed or triggered by anything, Joe set up children’s toys and equipment in his office. He also issued a notice that no one except his assistant was allowed inside.One morning, as Joe brought Yvonne into the office, some employees immediately recognized her. Seeing her in her childlike state, they began whispering and gossiping, saying all sorts of things. Though Joe did not hear them, Nigel did. Nigel had finally convinced Mr. Gibson Sr. to allow him to handle business, and on his first day at Turner Corporation, he ran into Yvonne. Seeing the woman he still loved in such a state broke his heart. When he overheard someone say she deserved it, rage flared inside him. But Nigel was not the impulsive young man he once was.Instead of causing a scene, he followed his assistant
A month had passed without any incidents, and it was time for Nina’s prenatal checkup. After breakfast, she asked Orion to go upstairs and pack her things for the hospital, giving him instructions on what to bring. Being heavily pregnant made everything a challenge, so Nina sat on the couch, using her phone to guide Orion step by step.Nash had been tied up with work lately, wanting to be there for her but unable to. Nina understood, which was why she decided to head to the hospital on her own.Half an hour later, Orion came running downstairs with a small backpack. "Mom, I’m grown up now, right? I can help you with things."Nina smiled and patted his head gently. "Yes, our Orion is really growing up."Beaming, Orion slung the backpack over his shoulders, grabbed the wheelchair, and helped Nina into it. Fortunately, the wheelchair was electric. Otherwise, Orion’s small frame wouldn’t be able to push it.The driver spotted them and immediately got out of the car to assist. "Ma’
Joe silently cursed Nina in his heart a hundred times over. He had his reasons for bringing Yvonne to the hospital, and as the one taking care of her, who was she to interfere? Outwardly, though, he kept his smile, explaining smoothly, "Nothing happened. I just happened to have some free time today, so I brought her in."After that, he turned to Yvonne and asked gently, "Are you hungry? Let’s go get something good to eat."Yvonne immediately nodded, eagerly repeating that she wanted something delicious."Mr. and Mrs. York, let’s catch up another time. I’m going to take her to eat," Joe said before walking off with Yvonne. Nina, however, wasn’t fooled by Joe’s act. As soon as he left, she turned to Nash, voicing her suspicion that Joe was up to something. She insisted that Nash use his connections to find out Joe’s true motives. It was finally her turn for the check-up, so Nash wheeled her into the examination room. While she was inside, Nash called the hospital director. He kn
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