Meanwhile, Hope had been trying her best to impress Nina and Nash. Orion really liked her, and though Nina had initially planned to place her in an orphanage, Hope clung tightly to her arm. "Aunt Nina, can I come to your home now?" she asked, eyes pleading."It’s not just our home. It's your home, too," Orion corrected. "You can stay as long as you want. My mom and dad are really nice, and our little sister is super cute."Some kids were shy around strangers, but not Gemma. She always greeted people with a smile, never fussy or afraid."Mm-hmm," Hope nodded eagerly, grabbing Orion’s hand. "It feels so good to have all of you with me."Originally, Nina and Nash had planned to stay in the city for a few days, but now with Hope, they decided to head home sooner. Before they left, they asked the kids, “Orion, Hope, do you two want to go to the amusement park?”"Yes!" Orion nodded enthusiastically. He had been before, but this time would be different. Not only would his parents b
"Yes, now that Orion has a new friend, we might even have more time for ourselves," Nash said, his fingers tracing up Nina's hand in a way that was both warm and ticklish.Nina's cheeks flushed, and she gently pushed him away. "Stop that. The kids are right outside. What if they hear us? It’d be so embarrassing." She knew Orion was clever—too clever. If he overheard anything, she would be mortified and wouldn’t even know how to explain."The hotel's got great soundproofing," Nash replied with a playful grin. "And the TV’s on, too. But if you’re worried, I can just turn it up a little more."Before Nina could protest, he grabbed the remote and nudged the volume up a few notches. He rolled over and kissed her, and under his touch, Nina quickly melted. They stayed entwined until the early hours, finally breaking apart, thoroughly exhausted. Nina turned off the TV, lying on the bed, feeling too drained to move. She wanted to wash away the lingering heat, but exhaustion kept her stil
Nina wasn’t sure where Hope was originally from, so she made sure to get a little bit of everything for her. “Try a little of each. If you find something you like, you can go back for more. As long as we don’t waste anything, you can get as much as you’d like.” “If you picked it, Aunt Nina, then I’ll like it all,” Hope said with determination. And she meant it. She cleaned her plate completely, not even leaving any sauce behind.Once everyone was full, Nash drove them to the amusement park. At first, Hope seemed a little reserved, but after a few rides, she started to let loose and really enjoy herself. “Orion, I really love the carousel! Can we ride it again?”“Last time, I rode the big horse while you rode the little one. Let’s switch this time,” Orion said, taking her hand.Since they were both still young, they spent most of their time in the children’s area, trying out all the rides they were tall enough for. Finally, they went on the Ferris wheel as a family. When they r
Hope quickly stashed the bottle back in her bag and settled on the floor, trying to look casual. “Hope, what were you doing?” Orion asked as he came over, ready to play.Hope, still just a six-year-old, wasn’t exactly skilled at hiding her emotions. She avoided looking him in the eye, turning her head away. “Nothing. I’m just a little sleepy and thought I’d rest,” she mumbled, closing her eyes.Orion shrugged, sitting beside her. “Okay, go ahead and nap. Where’s Mrs. Watson?”“She went to get some dessert. I was hungry,” Hope replied, pulling a blanket over her face. Orion adored his little sister. If he ever found out that Hope had done something to hurt her, he would never speak to her again. But she felt like she had no choice. If she didn’t do this, she might never see her own family again. After all, she hadn’t done anything to hurt Orion’s parents, and she hadn’t harmed him either. As for his sister, she was just a baby, too young to even talk yet. Besides, if something
“Mom, I want to go to the hospital with you!” Orion shouted as he ran after Nina.Hope instinctively tried to grab him, but Orion was running too fast, and her hand grasped at nothing but air.At the door, Nina paused and turned around. “Orion, your dad and I are really busy right now, and we can’t keep an eye on you. Please stay home. Mrs. Watson is here to take care of you. That’ll make us feel a bit more at ease.”Orion was a well-behaved child. Even if he came to the hospital, he wouldn’t cause any trouble and might even help take care of Gemma. But the hospital was crowded and chaotic, and she and Nash would be incredibly busy. What if Orion ran into trouble? It was safer to leave him at home.“Alright, Mom. But as soon as Gemma’s fever breaks, please tell me right away,” Orion said, reluctantly stopping as he realized the situation. He waved at his mom, hoping his sister would get well soon.Hearing the door close, Hope approached with her doll, her face lighting up. “Hey,
“It’s none of those. We recently hired a new nanny to help out,” Nina replied, but she already sensed that something was amiss. The doctor wouldn’t have asked about their childcare without reason.The next moment, he handed her the test results. “Your daughter’s fever is due to poisoning. You brought her in just in time. Another hour and it could have been too late.”Nina felt as if the world had stopped, hoping desperately that she had heard wrong. Nash quickly took the report and scanned the words, which confirmed that Gemma’s blood contained toxic substances.“In cases we’ve seen before, nannies might slip children a mild sedative to keep them calm. But this is poison. It’s clear someone intended serious harm,” the doctor added, disbelief evident in his voice. “I can’t fathom why anyone would do this to a child.”Nina’s focus returned to the immediate task. “Doctor, please start detoxifying my daughter. We’ll get to the bottom of this,” she said, exchanging a glance with Nash. I
Gemma was saved.Nina, pale from blood loss, had no color left in her lips. She used the table for support as she stood up, swaying slightly as she moved toward the hospital room.“Ma’am, please sit and rest here for a bit. We need to give you a transfusion. In your current state, you won’t make it to the room, let alone take a few more steps without fainting,” the nurse said, quickly grabbing Nina’s arm.Nina knew she wasn’t in the best shape. She didn’t push herself, instead taking a seat to rest. After drinking some glucose water to regain her strength, she went to see her daughter.Gemma’s condition had improved. Her fever had come down slightly.“Her temperature should return to normal in about three hours. If it spikes again, come find me immediately,” the doctor instructed carefully.Nina committed every word to memory. After the doctor left, she sat by her daughter’s side, gently stroking Gemma’s forehead as she murmured, “Sweetheart, please wake up soon.”Meanwhile, on
Mrs. Watson didn’t even dare to sleep through the night. She woke up every two hours to check on Gemma, making sure everything was just right. Even with all these precautions, she still worried about Gemma’s safety. There was no way she would risk feeding her something unsafe.“Alright, you can go now,” Nash said. Without concrete evidence, he couldn’t just lay the blame on Mrs. Watson. If only he had security cameras installed at home, he would know exactly who was responsible for Gemma’s poisoning.As soon as Mrs. Watson left, Nash received a call from his assistant. “Mr. York, I’ve sent over the background report you requested.”According to the report, Mrs. Watson’s family life was straightforward. She had a daughter who got married a few years ago. The couple ran a grocery store together and had a young son. They had no debt, and there were no large deposits in their bank records. Her previous employers also spoke highly of her, saying she cared for their children as if t
“Whose legal documents are these?” one of the investigators asked.“They’re mine,” Jamie replied. “I’ve been using them to prepare for a competition.”After she explained the situation, the investigator handed the documents back to her and issued a warning, emphasizing that such legal materials should not be present within the company. With that, they left.The man, clearly stunned, called after them, his voice rising with disbelief. “Did you even check properly? He’s a lawyer! How can a lawyer run a company as its president? Isn’t that against the rules?” The officials followed the direction of his finger and turned to look at Ben. Their expressions shifted into something between amusement and confusion, as though the man had asked an absurd question. “His law license was revoked a long time ago,” one of them stated plainly. The man froze, then shouted in denial, “That’s impossible!” “Why would it be impossible?” The official frowned, his tone growing stern. “When his l
Ben wouldn’t let Jamie fight his battles for him.He pulled her behind him, shielding her, and addressed the crowd with a cold expression. “If that’s the case, let’s have the authorities investigate.”Jamie stared at him, stunned.She understood the saying, “A clear conscience fears no accusation.” As long as Ben had nothing to hide, there was no reason to be afraid. But these people weren’t here for the truth, they were looking for trouble. It was likely orchestrated by their defeated opponents, timed to create chaos. Even if nothing incriminating was found, the media would seize the opportunity to smear them.Ben was doing this for her, disregarding himself completely.She was touched, but also anxious. She wanted to pull him back.However, Ben wasn’t budging this time. His warm but firm hand enveloped hers, silently telling her not to stop him.“What’s the matter? Afraid?” Ben asked, his hands casually in his pockets, raising an eyebrow with a hint of defiance.The loudest
“There’s a surveillance camera overhead, just so you know,” Ben said coldly, his gaze sharp as a blade. “I get it that you’re here to stick up for Summer. But let me be clear: whatever happened between the Lucas family and the Larson family is none of your business.”He held up the empty glass, his tone unwavering. “That drink was a warning. Don’t even think about testing my limits.”Jamie was his limit—his bottom line. He wouldn’t allow anyone to harm or disrespect her.Lila’s voice rang out, dripping with mockery as she addressed the gathering crowd. “Did everyone hear that? He’s threatening me with a drink as a ‘warning.’ Anyone here would agree this behavior is out of line. And all because I said a few words?“Ben Lucas, someone like you will get what’s coming to you!” Lila snapped, her voice sharp and bitter. “Doesn’t anyone wonder why someone who was doing so well as a lawyer suddenly gave it all up to become a CEO? Doesn’t everyone know lawyers aren’t supposed to engage in b
Jamie and Ben didn’t care about anyone else’s opinions.“You really think you and Ben can last?” The woman’s tone dripped with disdain. “Don’t forget, your statuses are worlds apart. If Ben didn’t care, why would he keep bringing you to events like these? Clearly, he does care.”Jamie noticed the woman’s provocative glare. Her elegance and poise were unmistakable, but her words revealed a heart filled with malice.With a calm but cutting tone, Jamie responded, “Even if Ben does care, that’s his business, not yours. And let’s be honest, you’d never have the courage to say this in front of him, would you? So, what’s the point of saying it to me?”Jamie didn’t even bother to take the woman seriously. Her relationship with Ben was her own, and she knew better than anyone how much he valued her.The woman sneered. “Oh, trust me, I’d say it to his face. But I assumed you had some self-awareness. Clearly, I was mistaken. You’re pathetic, Jamie.”With that, she spun on her heels and walk
“I was with Nash and the others today,” Ben said as he leaned back into the couch. “Jamie, tomorrow I want to take you to an exclusive high-society gala. If there’s anything you want or need for the occasion, just let me know.”For Jamie, the idea of attending such events held little appeal. What truly mattered to her was simply being by Ben’s side. Yet, Ben seemed determined to introduce her to this world, using his connections and influence to elevate her standing and help her thrive.But Jamie’s heart leaned toward a simpler life, one focused on family and the small joys within their home.“You’ve already given me everything I could ever want—friends, a safe life, love. I don’t feel drawn to these events. Can I skip this one?” she asked gently. Spending time with Charlie and bringing him over to play with Orion sounded like a better plan.Ben’s gaze softened. “If you really don’t want to go, I’ll respect your choice. But skipping out might not look great. There will be more occa
As soon as Ben spoke, Caleb and Hunter gave him exaggerated thumbs-up. “Married with a kid, and you’re still feeling lost? You’re a real genius,” Caleb teased.Nash patted Ben on the shoulder, his tone reassuring. “You’ve got a kid now, no need to overthink it. Just do your best for her. Besides, wasn’t Jamie doing great last time she was with Nina?”Ben paused, reflecting on Jamie’s recent state. Ever since she had started focusing on what she truly wanted, stepping back from exhausting tasks, she seemed much more at ease and full of life.Caleb said, “I’m heading out of town next month for a conference. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t even be here today.”“I’m flying abroad tomorrow,” Hunter added quickly.Clearly, this meetup was a rare opportunity to gather before everyone got busy again.Nash glanced at the two of them with a smirk. “And you two have the nerve to tease Ben? What about you guys? When are you settling down and having kids?“Don’t tell me, by the time our k
The senior judge on the panel smiled warmly and said, “Attorney Lewis, your defense was exceptional. Your understanding and application of legal principles left a lasting impression. Your arguments were clear, your logic airtight, and you provided a fresh perspective on this case.”Other judges nodded in agreement, offering Jamie high praise for her performance. As the competition concluded, Jamie stepped off the stage to the sound of applause from the audience. Her confidence had carried her through, but the moment was disrupted by an unexpected outburst. Attorney Gray, the female lawyer she had just defeated, clenched her fists and blurted, “This is unfair!”Her microphone was still live, and her voice echoed throughout the venue, silencing the room. “This case was obviously easier for you to argue,” Attorney Gray continued. “You have connections—this is favoritism! Why hasn’t the competition been stopped despite all the online rumors?” The remark caused a ripple of mur
Jamie took a deep breath and said firmly, “The competition is about to start. I’ll rely on my expertise to make it to the end. Even if I don’t succeed, I’ll have no regrets.”With those words, she turned and walked away, her determination unwavering.As the match began, whispers rippled through the crowd, and judgmental stares followed her every move. The rumors surrounding her had painted her in an unfavorable light, and the disdain from the audience was palpable.Jamie, however, paid no mind to the negativity. With legal codes in hand and confidence in her knowledge, she stepped onto the stage and began her defense, her voice calm and commanding as she addressed the mock case.“During the altercation,” Jamie started, “evidence shows that the aggressor retained mobility and the ability to continue the attack. Miss Russell’s actions to neutralize the threat were necessary and should not be classified as excessive self-defense.” Her delivery was poised, her argument well-structure
It was obvious that someone was deliberately stirring the pot, with influencers and media outlets amplifying the negativity. Jamie stared at the barrage of critical comments online, her heart growing heavier with each passing moment.She knew the best course of action was to ignore baseless accusations and focus on the task at hand—her next competition round. With the match scheduled for the next day, she resolved to give it her all. Jamie refused to let the rumors distract her. The next day, she arrived at the competition venue with her confidence intact, ready to tackle the challenges ahead. The preliminary rounds were grueling, with one debate following another, testing her endurance and resolve.Just as she was catching her breath, Attorney Freeman sauntered over, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Well, well, looks like we’ve got someone who used connections to get in. Makes you wonder why the rest of us even bother trying, doesn’t it?”His words immediately drew the atten