Lydia immediately toned down her excitement, unsure whether to let go of Quincy’s hand or not, worried her father might catch on. Feeling nervous, she shot a pleading look toward Quincy for help.Luckily, Quincy understood.With Mrs. Fay staying at the hospital to care for Mr. Fay, the two didn’t linger and left soon after. Since the biggest hurdle had been Mr. Fay’s disapproval of their relationship, Lydia wanted to secure everything while things were still in their favor. She had brought all the necessary documents with her just in case, so they decided to head to the courthouse and get their marriage license right away.A short while later, holding their official marriage license in her hands, Lydia’s face lit up with a radiant smile.She extended her hand toward Quincy and playfully said, “Hello, Mr. Quincy. From today onwards, let’s take care of each other.”Quincy’s charming smile, warm and intoxicating like the finest wine, softened his features. Seeing that no one was
Lydia instinctively wanted to decline, but Mrs. Ford seemed to anticipate her response. "It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other," she said. "I still remember when you were just a little girl, and now look at you. You’re not going to get distant with me, are you?"With Mrs. Ford putting it that way, Lydia couldn’t refuse without seeming ungrateful, so she reluctantly agreed.After hanging up, she realized she hadn’t asked if Eugene would be attending the charity gala, and a wave of regret washed over her. She wasn’t eager to see him again. But now that she had accepted, calling back would feel too deliberate.Sighing, Lydia murmured to herself, "I guess it’s better to just clear the air when I see him."Meanwhile, at the Ford family’s living room, Mrs. Ford set down the phone and looked over to the side. "I’ve made the call for you. The rest is up to you."Next to her sat a man dressed in a dark gray outfit, his silver-framed glasses and casual clothing giving him an approac
Waitstaff moved gracefully through the crowd, balancing trays of drinks as they wove between guests. When Lydia and Quincy stepped aboard the yacht, they immediately drew attention. It wasn’t hard to see why. Lydia looked stunning.She wore a deep blue gown adorned with tiny crystals that sparkled like stars, creating the illusion of a shimmering ocean under the moonlight. Her curled hair added the perfect finishing touch, and as she walked with grace, she looked almost otherworldly, like a mythical sea siren.The yacht was filled with a wide variety of people. There were new business elites, overseas investors, and those who were simply there to admire the beautiful women attending the event. Many eyes scanned the female guests, with some men immediately approaching any woman who caught their interest. Lydia, with her striking beauty, quickly became a prime target for attention.“She’s a real knockout,” one man whispered to his friend. “Do you think I could get her number?”“H
Lydia knew exactly what Quincy was worried about, so she offered him a reassuring smile. "I’ll be fine. I’ll go and be right back. If you’re still chatting with Mr. William and I’m not back, come find me. Does that put your mind at ease?"Only then did Quincy reluctantly let her go.The yacht was enormous, and Lydia wandered for a bit before finally finding the restroom. The interior was lavish with golden walls and ornate mirrors with intricate designs on the edges. Everything exuded luxury. After washing her hands, she was ready to head back, but as soon as she stepped outside, she froze."Lydia, what a coincidence to run into you here."The man standing in front of her was none other than Eugene."What are you doing here?" she blurted, immediately regretting the question. Mrs. Ford was attending the gala, so of course her son would be there too. She mentally chastised herself for asking something so obvious.Eugene smiled, his eyes dark and intense as he stared at her. The d
Lydia quickly muttered an apology and tried to slip past the man.“Where do you think you’re going? You bump into me and think a simple ‘sorry’ is enough? There’s no way it’s that easy!” The man grabbed her arm forcefully, pulling her back.With a yelp, Lydia stumbled into the wall.That seemed to jolt the man’s alcohol-fogged brain into some clarity, and when he got a good look at her, his eyes lit up.“Well, aren’t you something,” he sneered. “How much for the night? I’ll take good care of you.”The man was sporting a beer belly and a sleazy grin. He looked Lydia up and down as if she were one of the many women on the yacht hoping to land a rich guy for the night. But Lydia wasn’t one of them.“Get lost! Take a good look at yourself. Do you think I’m someone you can mess with?” Lydia snapped, stomping her heel down on his foot.The man howled in pain, and Lydia took the chance to gather her dress and run.But the man’s furious roar followed her down the hallway. “You filthy b
Eugene's gaze briefly lingered on Lydia, though his words were addressed to the crowd around him. "The auction is about to begin. If you don’t want to miss out, you’d better get ready."His tone made it clear he wasn’t interested in further conversation. The people around them were quick to pick up on social cues and nodded in agreement.“Mr. Ford is right, we can’t miss this one!”“It’s time to head in,” someone else chimed in.As soon as the words were spoken, the lights in the room dimmed. Amid the collective gasps of the crowd, a spotlight shone on the stage where the host stepped into view. After the usual pleasantries, the auction officially began.People quickly found their seats, and Lydia followed Quincy to a spot with a good view of the stage. As they settled in, Eugene passed by, leaning slightly toward her as he said, “I’ll see you after the auction.”Lydia glanced at him but didn’t respond, keeping her focus on Quincy. Once seated, she reached for Quincy’s hand and
"Why should he get it? This is completely unfair to the rest of us!""Exactly! We came here trusting the reputation of Wonders Corporation, and now you're just handing things over without any explanation?""How can you give it away like that without warning? At least give us a decent reason. This is shameless!"The crowd erupted in complaints, clearly displeased by the sudden turn of events. Onstage, the host was visibly sweating, wiping his brow nervously. But there was no turning back now, so he braced himself and delivered the final blow."This amethyst will go to Mr. Ford."Upon hearing the prestigious Ford family name, the enraged socialites began to regain their composure. After all, the Ford family was no ordinary household. They controlled nearly half of the city’s wealth, with the other half belonging to the York family. Everyone knew that the only heir of the Ford family was Eugene Ford, who had just returned from studying abroad."Mr. Ford, please come up to receive
The assistant locked eyes with Quincy’s silent but clearly angry gaze, and for a moment, he felt completely stuck. Without saying another word, he quickly took the box and left the way he had come.Lydia glanced at Quincy, a bit hesitant. “Are you upset?”“No.” Quincy paused, noticing the concern in her eyes, and added, “You don’t need to tiptoe around me. If you have something to say, just say it. I won’t be mad.”Still, he didn’t offer any explanation for what had just happened. After the auction, Lydia noticed him glance back over his shoulder, but she couldn’t tell if he was looking at Eugene or not. Something about the tension between the two men made her feel like there was more going on than she understood.As the yacht had set sail at the start of the auction, all the guests were expected to spend the night on board. The organizers had thoughtfully arranged private rooms for everyone. Lydia and Quincy were assigned rooms as well—two separate ones, with a significant dista
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.