Mr. Fay’s dark eyes seemed to pierce right through Quincy. “No matter how successful you are in your career, you're still just someone working for others. My daughter deserves the best. Just because she chose to gain some experience on her own doesn’t mean she’s an ordinary person.”His voice remained calm, almost devoid of emotion, but the words were sharp and cutting.Quincy had earned respect from many due to his outstanding abilities and his close association with Nash York. People regarded him highly, partly because of Nash and partly because of his own competence. Nash, known for his high standards, wouldn’t keep anyone around who wasn’t exceptional.But in Mr. Fay’s eyes, Quincy was still not good enough.Quincy remained composed. “I’ve known Lydia’s background since the day she joined us. We both earned our positions through hard work. If you think my current job isn’t good enough for her, I can start my own business. But I owe everything I have today to Mr. York, and I pla
Lydia wrapped her arms around Quincy. “I joined York Corporation to gain some experience. And with your help, I’ve learned so much. But I always knew I’d leave one day. Quincy, I want to see you reach your full potential, not be limited by someone else’s shadow. Do you understand what I’m saying?”She wanted him to succeed, but if he chose to stay, she wouldn’t push him. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder why he would limit himself when he had the ability to go so much further.“I understand, but Lydia, I’ve committed to following Mr. York for life. I’ll do my best to gain your father’s approval. But if, in the end, he still doesn’t accept me...”Before Quincy could finish, Lydia’s face turned serious. “Quincy, you’ve been through so much. Just because my dad says no, you’re going to give up?”She was frustrated. They had been through so much together. And now, just because her father disapproved, he was ready to walk away?Quincy pressed his lips together and spoke softly, “It’s
Quincy had proposed to Lydia at Gemma’s first month celebration, and Nash hadn’t forgotten. The two of them were more than just his right and left hand, they were a perfect couple.“Honestly, it might not happen,” Quincy confessed.Nash immediately realized that Lydia’s parents were the issue. Usually, it was the groom’s parents who were eager for the wedding, especially considering Quincy wasn’t exactly young anymore.Nash gave Quincy a supportive pat on the shoulder. “Time reveals all. Here’s what we’ll do. I’m giving you some time off. Go win your girl. If her father wants you to take over the family business, go for it. I’ll bring up a new team here. None of this is more important than your life.”Nash meant every word. Quincy had been with him for over a decade, not just as an assistant but as a friend, a brother, and family. If a better opportunity came along for Quincy, Nash would not only be happy for him but would even help pave the way.“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t
Mrs. Fay hadn’t expected Quincy to be so determined. She decided it was time to lay everything out clearly. “Quincy, if you were a parent, given the choice between someone already successful and someone still trying to make it, who would you choose?”“I’d choose the former,” Quincy replied honestly. “But Mrs. Fay, I’m asking for a chance. I’m not just some aimless dreamer.” He sat upright, his posture radiating confidence and resolve.He was impressive, handsome, articulate, with the demeanor of a true professional. His presence alone reflected his time spent working alongside Nash. No matter how capable Quincy was, he couldn’t measure up to Nash. Nash had the entire York family behind him, along with the powerful connections from Nina’s father and his own influential background. Even though Nash deeply trusted Quincy and valued his contributions, Quincy was still just an assistant. There was no way Nash would ever hand over the York Corporation to him.Quincy, for his part, w
Mrs. Fay’s expression turned stern as she addressed Lydia sharply, “I’ve arranged a blind date for you, and your date will be here soon. If you don’t want your father to lock you up at home, you’d better cooperate.”Though she sat calmly on the sofa, her piercing gaze and commanding presence left no room for argument.Just then, Mr. Fay, who had been pretending to be ill, emerged from the room.“Your mother is being kind. If it were up to me, I’d be even harsher. If Quincy keeps showing up, I won’t hesitate to have him thrown out.”Lydia’s breath caught in her throat. She never imagined these words could come from her own parents. They were well-educated, successful people, yet here they were, saying such things and even trying to force her into a blind date.What did they take her for?Some commodity to be traded?Lydia let out a bitter laugh. “The Fay family is already powerful. Just how much is enough? When will you ever be satisfied?”She scoffed bitterly. “And why not go a
Mr. Fay clutched his chest, his voice pained. “Lydia, you’d go this far for a man? You’d hurt your parents like this?”Mrs. Fay, equally panicked, pleaded, “Lydia, put the knife down. Your father’s health isn’t good. Please, don’t make him worry anymore!”But Lydia didn’t lower the knife. Instead, she let out a bitter laugh. “You’re asking me not to hurt him, not to hurt you. But what about me? Have you thought about the fact that you’re hurting me? I’ve always been the obedient daughter, doing everything to make you happy.“Even when I took the job as a secretary at York Corporation, it was because you wanted me to gain some experience. But now, what’s it turned into?“I never dated in college, never had a boyfriend. Now I’ve finally found someone I love, and Quincy treats me so well. Why can’t I be with him?“Is Quincy such a terrible person?”If he were, Nash wouldn’t have trusted and mentored him all these years. Quincy was capable and respected in the industry, with many com
“You went to see Lydia. Did you hit a wall with her parents? What do they want? Are they looking for York Corporation’s help?” Nash, having experienced his fair share of similar situations, could easily guess what was going on with Quincy.Quincy sighed, trying to shut down the conversation. “Mr. York, it’s over between Lydia and me.”Nash was taken aback by how quickly things had ended. Quincy had just proposed to Lydia, and it was clear they had feelings for each other. Lydia wouldn’t have accepted the proposal if she didn’t care deeply for him. It seemed like this so-called “breakup” was more about her parents’ interference than anything else.Nash, having been through his own share of challenges, saw how special Quincy and Lydia’s relationship was and didn’t want it to end over something like this.“Lydia loves you, and you love her. Just calling it quits, don’t you think that’s a waste?” Nash put down the papers he was holding and walked over to Quincy. “You’re not a kid
As Lydia stared at Quincy with questioning eyes, his usual calm demeanor cracked slightly, revealing a trace of pain. He turned his head away, avoiding her gaze. "Your parents are right," he said quietly. "They're just looking out for you. I'm just an assistant. I can't give you the life you deserve.""You don't really believe that! If you did, why can't you even look me in the eye?""Lydia…""Look me in the eye and tell me it's over. If you can't do that, I won't believe a word you say."With that, Lydia walked away.Not long after she left, Nash returned to his office and found Quincy sitting with his head hung low. "This is the first time I've seen you like this. Didn’t go well, did it?"Quincy forced a bitter smile. "She wants me to look her in the eye and tell her it’s over. But I can't do it."Nash sighed and put a hand on his shoulder. "If that's the case, stop hesitating. If her parents don’t think you’re good enough, prove them wrong. Start your own company and show t
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
Suddenly, footsteps sounded behind Yelena. She spun around, her heart hammering in her chest. Liam was walking toward her, a faint smile on his lips—but the coldness in his eyes told a different story. Memories of his past cruelty flashed through her mind, sending a shudder down her spine. She forced herself to stay calm. “Who are you messaging?” He was getting closer. So close that when he finally stopped, they were nearly pressed against each other. Then, without warning, his fingers clamped around her chin, gripping tighter and tighter. Pain shot through her jaw, and Yelena winced. “No one. Just an old classmate. I ran into her a few days ago while I was out.” “Oh? Is that so?” Liam’s voice softened, almost gentle. To anyone watching, he might have seemed like a kind, easygoing man. But Yelena knew better. He would never let her off that easily. And sure enough— In the next second, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her hea
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.“Haven’t I been just fine lately?“Or do you think my hand isn’t injured enough? If that’s the case, go ahead—do it yourself. “You already know I wouldn’t fight back no matter what.” Without warning, Yelena stretched out her injured hand, an act that instantly enraged Liam. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He snapped. “I was just making a casual remark. Is that really what you think of me? I already told you—I’m not going to lay a hand on you.“It wasn’t intentional before, and you know it. We both do. Stop acting like you’re above all this when we both know who sent you here.” Yelena felt a pang of sadness. They had spent so much time together, yet this was how he treated her—always choosing to hurt her. “I know—I wasn’t someone you chose, and none of this was intentional. But after all this time we've spent together...“I thought maybe I was a little different to you. But I guess I was wrong. Nothing has changed at all.