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
"Nash."Sue thought it would be wiser to approach Nash rather than Nina. He held more influence in the matter. "Nash, I'll be starting my internship in a month. Could I possibly intern at your company? I'm currently without a place to go temporarily. I just need the internship completion certificate; it won't disrupt your affairs."Lily added, "We're Nina's close relatives. Please assist her so she can secure a good job in the future."Nina furrowed her brows. This seemed like taking advantage of Nash being her husband, attempting to gain from him. It was one thing to benefit from their family before, but now they wanted to benefit from Nash as well.She couldn't help but glance at Nash, concerned that he might form a negative opinion of her family, especially given that it was their first encounter and things were already turning out this way.Moreover, her relationship with Nash wasn't intimate enough for him to be responsible for managing the entire Walker family's affairs. It
Julia was almost driven mad by Lily but her mood lifted, knowing that this couple had a good relationship. As long as her daughter was well, there wasn't much that could trouble her. She also wanted to support their relationship, "Nina, Nash only lends a hand because of you. He treats you well, so you should reciprocate and treat Nash better."Hearing this, Nina glanced at Nash. When did he start pleasing her mother so much to always side with him?Nash was quite pleased and said to Julia, "Mom, it's because you've been saying good things about me."Julia smiled and said, "Of course, I'm not blind. I can naturally see your goodness."Her gaze shifted to Zion.Zion's gaze was fixed on them, filled with both joy and worry. He was happy that Nina married into a good family without much suffering, but worried about how long they could maintain this and whether his daughter was truly happy.After a while, they completed Zion's administrative formalities. He could go home after a week
Her career in acting didn't start off with a bang. During the York Corporation's charity auction gala, Nash publicly distanced himself from her, causing her to feel embarrassed. In the intricate world of the entertainment industry, there were inevitably snide remarks about such situations.Miranda was savvy enough to understand that Nash would support her, making him her strongest ally in the future. After reaching out to Nash at that time, her opportunities expanded.She was occupied with filming and didn't have time to deal with Nina. Nina was also relatively peaceful. She didn't want to bother with these trivial matters.The more she thought about it, the more it upset her. It was better to just let it go.However, Taylor, beside Nina, glanced around and whispered, "Nina, I made a mistake this time. Please don't take it personally. I won't spread rumors about you and Mr. York anymore."Nina looked at her. "What are you saying?"Taylor furrowed her brows. "Mr. York is already m
The receptionist had seen her for several days in a row, and she was quite persistent. The receptionist said, "Let me make a call, please wait."As long as there was hope, Linda held onto anticipation. "Sure, thank you."After the call was made, the receptionist politely replied to Linda, "Miss, Mr. York is not in the office. Please come back another time."It seemed too coincidental that he was always absent whenever she visited. This time, Linda wasn't as compliant. She persistently asked, "Could you call Mr. York? Just tell him Linda has prepared some special dishes and would like him to try them. Once he does, I'll leave."The receptionist had encountered many women trying to curry favor with Nash, and she was just one of them. Wanting to brush her off, the receptionist said, "Mr. York is very busy and doesn't see visitors.""I'm not just anybody, I'm…"Linda was so anxious she was almost in tears, but she couldn't bring herself to say who Nash was to her."Miss, please don'
Jamie struggled desperately to free herself from Ben’s grip, but it was futile. Ben watched her attempts with a mix of frustration and curiosity. Beyond her anger and resistance, Jamie showed no other emotions. Yet, according to Caden, she had risked everything to obtain the recording. His mother had also confirmed it was Jamie who had handed it over. Still, she had never used it to threaten him. Ben’s voice dripped with sarcasm as he stared her down. “What’s your angle, Jamie? You risked so much to get that recording, you ignored your son’s safety, and now you’re here telling me to take care of your sister and build a happy life with her? Are you really that noble?” His sharp, icy gaze bore into her, as though he wanted to rip her apart piece by piece. Jamie hadn’t expected Ben to know the truth, but it didn’t matter. She had done what she felt was right and had no intention of using it against him. “My sister is carrying your child, and the two of you are engaged
Ben didn’t respond, drinking in brooding silence. Just as Hunter was about to press further, Nash shot him a glance that made him hold his tongue. Ben drank heavily, while Nash and Quincy eventually excused themselves, and Caleb hurried off to handle work. In the end, it was just Ben and Hunter left in the private lounge. Hunter patted Ben on the shoulder. “If you can’t forget her, then maybe it’s time to accept her. Even if things don’t turn out as expected, as long as you’ve done your best and have a clear conscience, that’s enough. You’re the one building a life with her, so why get hung up on something so trivial?” He was referring to Jamie’s past. And if Ben really wanted to count, he was her first man.But no man could truly tolerate betrayal.What Ben couldn’t get past wasn’t Jamie’s past, but her abandonment and the way she had betrayed him.“I’m done talking about Jamie,” Ben said coldly. “I’ll settle the tab. You stay and enjoy yourself. I’m heading home.”
Ben did not reply and left without looking back. True to his word, he wasn’t going to see Jamie or Winnie. Instead, he arranged to meet Nash and the others at the most exclusive club in the city. However, when Ben arrived, Nash was busy on a call, Quincy was glued to his phone, and Hunter and Caleb were drinking quietly. Ben, already agitated, couldn’t hide his irritation. “You two, it’s rare we get together, and this is how you spend your time? Do you ever get tired of it?”He took a sip of his own drink, frustration bubbling as thoughts of Jamie occupied his mind. Quincy, sprawled casually on the couch, grinned. “Tired? Never. You don’t know what you’re missing. It’s pure bliss.” “I used to think love and relationships were just a burden,” Quincy continued, his expression turning soft. “But now I’ve realized, there’s nothing better in this world.” Since reconnecting with Lydia, Quincy’s perspective on life had shifted entirely. Traveling the world hand-in-hand with
Ben’s lips pressed into a thin line. He didn’t know how to describe what he was feeling at that moment. The Jamie he knew was someone who could easily abandon their relationship for money. He had even done a paternity test on Jamie’s child, confirming there was no biological connection between them. Now, she had gone to such lengths for him. Was this her conscience finally surfacing? Ben didn’t want to dwell on it. “Your grandmother is innocent. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her situation,” he said. “Thank you.” Caden lowered his head in gratitude. Ben nodded slightly and walked past him without another word. ……After leaving, Ben returned home to find Mrs. Lucas waiting for him, ready to perform a series of superstitious gestures to "clear away bad energy." He went along with her routine without protest. Once she was finished, he got into his car. “Who did you reach out to that managed to get me released so quickly?” Ben asked, recalling Caden’s earlier
It was a battle between good and evil.“Charlie is already sick, and your sister never thinks about you. So why should you care about her? Besides, people who don’t look out for themselves are doomed to fail!”Evil began to chip away at her reason.Justice pushed back. “No, he’s just a child.”But evil whispered again. “Winnie, if you don’t take steps to protect yourself, do you want to see your own child disappear?”Winnie couldn’t bear the thought of losing her child. Over the years, she had worked hard and sacrificed so much, yet Jamie had never acknowledged her efforts. Instead, Jamie had gotten entangled with Ben, even on the day of her engagement party. Ben was her fiancé, and her child was Ben’s child! Yes, only her child had the right to call Ben “Daddy.” This thought filled Winnie’s eyes with an icy determination.……Meanwhile, with the recording as evidence, the prosecutor’s office and the police launched an investigation into Caden’s actions. The invest
Mrs. Lucas showed no sympathy as she watched Jamie break down in tears. Her only concern was securing the recording to help clear Ben’s name.But Jamie’s emotional state made Mrs. Lucas suspicious. “Why does everything line up so perfectly?” she questioned.Jamie raised her hand as if swearing an oath. “I ran into Caden while working a part-time job, and the recording was pure luck. Mrs. Lucas, I’d never joke about my own son’s safety.”Jamie’s firm tone, coupled with her tear-streaked face, carried an air of desperation. As a woman and a mother herself, Mrs. Lucas could read Jamie’s emotions clearly. But deep inside, a new thought began to form. If Jamie’s child were gone, it would break Jamie completely. If she were to lose her mind or even die from the grief, how could Ben possibly continue to hold on to any lingering feelings for her?Mrs. Lucas’s resolve hardened as an idea took root.“Give me the recording,” she said, her tone steady. “I’ll make sure something is done t
“You don’t need to give me anything. Just don’t hurt my family. That’s my only request,” Caden said firmly.The masked man let out a low chuckle. “Someone who doesn’t love money or power? How rare.”Caden’s expression remained impassive. “Just promise me this, and from now on, don’t come looking for me. I won’t help you with anything again.”The masked man clearly had no intention of letting Caden off so easily.In the next moment, he slid a list across the table. “Get these people released for me, or I’ll expose how you framed a top lawyer. What do you think? Will the public forgive you? Will the government?”Jamie, recording everything from the side, was satisfied with what she had captured. She turned to leave quietly, but before she could slip out, Caden spotted her.“Jamie? What are you doing here?”The masked man’s gaze turned icy.Jamie reacted quickly and bolted for the door, running as fast as she could.She didn’t know how she had ended up in the middle of Caden’s de
After speaking, Winnie ran off. Jamie didn’t chase her. She understood that Winnie couldn’t accept this, and if their roles were reversed, neither could she. Right now, she had to find Mrs. Lucas. She flagged down a taxi and directed it to the Lucas family estate. It was her second time coming here. The first time had been by Mrs. Lucas’s invitation, a meeting designed to show her the opulence of the Lucas family estate and to offer her a million to leave Ben. Jamie had sworn then that she would never set foot there again. But today, she was here for Winnie. At the gate, the security guard stopped her. “Who are you?” “My name is Jamie Lewis,” she said calmly. “Tell Mrs. Lucas I’m here to see her. She’ll agree to meet me.” Jamie hadn’t chased after Winnie because she wanted to give her some time to process everything. But she couldn’t leave Winnie alone for too long. Time was of the essence. Seeing her composure, the security guard decided to pass along
Although the van slowed down, Winnie was suddenly shoved out, hitting the ground hard. The physical pain was intense, but it couldn’t compare to the ache in her heart.She watched as the van sped away into the distance. Trembling, she pulled out her phone and called Jamie.“Jamie, what are you doing right now? I need to ask you something in person.” Winnie’s tone made it clear that she knew something was wrong.Hearing her voice, Jamie immediately sensed the weight of the situation. Winnie must have found out the truth. There was no way Jamie could focus on work until they cleared the air.Without hesitation, Jamie dropped what she was doing and rushed to meet her.When she arrived, she found Winnie sitting on the curb, her face blank and her eyes hollow.Jamie ran over quickly. “Winnie, what happened?”At the sound of her voice, Winnie lifted her head. A bitter smile played at the corners of her mouth. “Don’t you know what happened, my dear sister?”She deliberately emphasized