Nina was a bit at a loss and politely greeted, "Hello, Grandpa George."George's eyes widened slightly in surprise. This matter had never reached his ears before, but then he burst into a hearty laugh. "Well, well, you're all grown up and married now. When did you get married? You and your grandfather are cut from the same cloth. Such a big event, and you didn't even inform me. It's a shame I'm only meeting your wife now."George and Nash's grandfather were comrades in their youth. They had shared life and death together, fought side by side on the battlefield, achieved many successes, and made significant contributions. However, they later diverged in their future paths. George entered politics, while Nash's grandfather pursued business, leading to less interaction between them.George scrutinized Nina and nodded approvingly. "She's a fine girl, Nash. You have good taste. This young lady seems kind-hearted."Nash explained, "Our marriage was kept simple, without any publicity. And
It seemed she hadn't expected to see them there, but quickly regained her composure. Melody smiled and greeted, "Grandpa George, my mother and I have come to see you.""Hi George," Melody's mother called out.Nina pondered for a moment. George, whom Nash held in such high regard, seemed familiar to the Wallace family. There was a sense of acquaintance there.George smiled and said, "Why have you all come?""You're ill, so of course we all wanted to come see you," Melody replied warmly, placing the flowers in a vase and then giving George a hug. "But Grandpa George, there are other guests here."George said, "Nash is the grandson of my comrade. He is like my own grandson.""I've met him," Melody confidently turned to Nash. "Hello, Mr. York, it's nice to see you again."George asked, "But weren't you abroad for a long time? I haven't heard that you knew Nash.""Just a few days ago, Dad took me to meet him, and we even had dinner together," Melody didn't hide it. "Grandpa George,
She didn't politely address him as "Mr. York," but rather by his name. She stood in his way, blocking his path, and Nash asked coldly, "Miss Wallace, what's the matter?"Melody looked at him, her inherent arrogance evident, still not quite believing, "What you just said, about being married. Is it true?"She had never heard any news of his marriage. She suspected he was deliberately avoiding it, hence her questioning.Nash's expression remained indifferent, "Is there a need to lie?""I've never heard of it, and no one knows who your wife is. I suspect you're making excuses.""It's none of your concern."The more indifferent he became, the more intrigued Melody grew, treating him like prey, desiring to conquer him. She liked those who were unattainable. Her lips formed a slight smile, exuding boldness in both demeanor and approach as she leaned closer, "Married or not, divorce is always an option. It doesn't matter to me."Nina's expression shifted as she listened. Nash had alw
He was remarkably observant, noticing that she experienced stomach pains during her period. This took Nina by surprise. She used to believe that even if she spent her entire life with him, he might never truly understand her preferences or her health condition. If she ever became ill, he might be the last to know.But now, with the passage of time, even if he didn't wish to remember it, he would inevitably remember.Nina blew on the ginger tea, then drank it all in one go. "Rest well," Nash carefully tucked her in.Nina gazed at him and asked, "Where are you going later?""I'll be at home, not going anywhere," Nash replied.Nina would wonder where he would be today, considering he wasn't home a few days ago.There were so many places he could be, but eventually, he would settle somewhere.Nash noticed the disappointment on her face. The next moment, he lay down and slipped under the covers, his hand resting on her abdomen. "Is it still hurting?" Nina's body tensed, staring a
Julia was still preoccupied with Zion's condition when she overheard someone gossiping nearby. Irritated, she remarked, "Lily, you can criticize Zion all you want, but you can't say he doesn't care about Xander! Throughout the years, when has he ever neglected him or failed to clean up his mess? But you can't just turn to him whenever you're in trouble, expecting him to fix everything. What's your own family doing?"In response, Lily Clark sighed, "I'm in a desperate situation now, aren't I? If I had a solution, why would I seek advice from Zion and you guys?"As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes."Mom, don't cry, there's always a solution," her daughter comforted.Julia hadn't cried yet but Lily beat her to it, which was something she couldn't stand. Over the years, their family had been burdened many times, with relatives always coming to them in times of need, but never remembering them in times of prosperity. Out of familial obligation, they never said much. Julia harbor
"Lily, could you be a bit more reasonable? When did I ever try to influence Zion? Look at the state you've reduced him to. What more do you want?" Julia couldn't tolerate her attitude."Fine, then let's get to the point," Lily blurted out, "How was the last two million resolved? Last time, you claimed there was no money, but together, you all found a way. At that time, Xander was scraping every penny, nearly selling his kidney. But in the end, everything was resolved. You said the two million was repaid, so we didn't need to worry."Their smooth repayment of two million had always left them suspicious. They believed their family still had money."Zion, where did you get so much money from? Are Mom and Dad's savings all in your hands? Did you embezzle the money?" Lily asked directly. This was also a sore point for her. She believed that their family took their parents' money without informing them. Surely, they took more than just their fair share.This accusation made Zion cough
Nina inquired, "What's your educational background?"Sue answered, "I graduated from a local university.""We only recruit graduates from prestigious schools. Your credentials don't meet our standards," Nina promptly declined.Sue's demeanor soured, but she plastered on a smile and retorted, "But you're employed there, aren't you? With a cousin like you, the alma mater shouldn't matter."Nina replied icily, "A reputable company adheres to standards. If you're so keen on cutting corners, you'll crumble sooner or later. There won't be any room for you."After being rebuffed repeatedly, Sue grew disgruntled. "Nina, you're just unwilling to lend a hand. That's why you're saying this.""You're well aware of it. If you're always depending on others, you'll be worse off than a beggar when no one lends a hand," Nina's words were cutting."If you won't help me, fine, but why insult me? Mom, look at her!" Sue couldn't bear the humiliation, her eyes turning red with anger.Seeing her daug
Nash stood by the door. He was never someone who could tolerate noise, especially near his father-in-law's sickbed. Upon hearing his arrival, the mother and daughter stopped crying, turning their attention to Nash.Nina looked up, somewhat taken aback to see Nash. She hadn't informed him about this. "Why are you here?" she asked.Nash met her gaze and responded, "The hospital director called me to inform that Dad was sick, so I rushed over from the company.""Dad, Mom," he greeted them first, noticing Zion with a cast on his hand, then inquired, "How is it?"Nina explained, "He had a fracture in his hand bone and needs a few days of rest."Observing the crowded and noisy environment, Nash frowned and remarked, "It's too noisy in here, disturbing Dad's rest. I'll arrange for him to be moved to the VIP ward.""No need for that, I'm not that delicate. Nash, don't trouble yourself," Zion declined.Though not entirely satisfied with Nash, Zion appreciated Nash's concern and couldn't
Chloe scoffed, “What’s the big deal? When I married your father, I just threw on a simple dress and walked into the house. I still have that dress, you know.”She muttered under her breath, “Marriage is about building a life together. What’s the point of all these fancy extras?”A wedding dress? A suit? That sounded expensive. Their family had barely saved a few thousand dollars over the years. How could they justify spending it all on a wedding? *Vera, taking advantage of the last bit of battery on her phone, quickly pulled up photos of wedding dresses and suits. She handed the phone to Alice. “Your brother would look really handsome in a suit.” Alice gasped in excitement. “Wow! These clothes are so pretty! Vera, you’re already beautiful—if you wear this, you’ll look just like a fairy!” Then she hesitated. “When we get the dress… can I try it on too?” “Of course.” This wasn’t a wedding Vera had agreed to in the first place. She had shown Alice the pictur
Alice looked at Vera and tried to reassure her. “It’s just a little meat. It won’t make you gain weight, I promise. Last Christmas, I ate a whole plate of pork, and look—I didn’t gain a pound!”Vera said nothing. In a place like this, meat was probably a rare luxury, something they only had on holidays or special occasions. Things like snack foods, takeout, or even basic convenience store items were probably unheard of here. How could anyone gain weight in a place like this? But Vera wasn’t refusing to eat because she was worried about that.Still, Alice meant well.Even though Vera resented her in this moment, she knew when to pick her battles.So she picked up her fork and ate the piece of chicken.Chloe finally looked pleased.“You haven’t had a baby yet, so why worry about your weight? Eat more—you’ll need the strength to have a big, healthy boy. After that, you can think about getting your figure back. Tonight, you’ll sleep in Peter’s room. You’re already his,
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