But as parents, they all want their daughter to find someone with better prospects. Quincy’s startup may be showing some promise, but that was largely due to Nash’s support. If Nash ever decided to withdraw his help, or if Quincy succeeded and then decided to discard Lydia after using her, Lydia would be left devastated. This fear had been lingering in Mrs. Fay’s mind for a while, but the bond between Lydia and Quincy was so strong that, despite her concerns, she hadn’t intervened. But after seeing them fight, she felt more convinced than ever that Quincy wasn’t the right man for her daughter.“There’s no way I’d go back to him. I saw him with another woman. If I reconciled with him now, I’d be making a fool of myself,” Lydia said, shaking her head.Mrs. Fay had initially thought it was just a simple fight, but now, hearing this, her expression darkened. “Oh, he’s got some nerve, doesn’t he? If he’s already running around with other women, who’s to say he won’t do worse once he’s
As they descended the stairs, they spotted Mrs. Fay seated on the couch, watching TV.“Good morning, Mrs. Fay,” Eugene greeted her politely.She looked up, and the more she observed her prospective son-in-law, the more she approved of him. But when her gaze shifted to Lydia, concern immediately clouded her face. “Lydia, yesterday you didn’t have dark circles, and now they’re so noticeable. Did you not sleep at all last night?”It made sense, she thought. Lydia and Quincy had been deeply in love. Divorce wouldn’t be easy, and while she felt her daughter’s pain, Mrs. Fay knew it was better to get it over with now rather than prolong the hurt. She couldn’t let a moment of sympathy pull Lydia back into that painful situation.“No, Mom, I slept fine. I just forgot to close the window, got a bit cold, and had trouble falling back asleep,” Lydia fibbed, hoping to put her mom at ease.But a mother knows her daughter best. Mrs. Fay saw through the excuse but chose not to call her out. “It’
Lydia didn’t say a word, merely lowering her head in silence. She had always loved children. When she first found out she was pregnant, she had been so excited. But now, the child was gone, her beloved husband was gone, and the happiness she once felt seemed like an illusion. Just one touch and it shattered, leaving nothing but broken pieces.“I’m sorry, Lydia. I shouldn’t have brought that up. Sometimes I just don’t think. I can’t believe I said something so thoughtless…” Eugene’s voice grew increasingly panicked, and before Lydia could react, he raised his hand to slap himself.As he prepared for a second slap, Lydia quickly grabbed his hand, shaking her head. “Don’t do that. I’m not blaming you. It’s not your fault.”After all, it wasn’t Eugene who had caused her to lose the baby. And he hadn’t said anything that terrible. She knew she couldn’t expect everyone to avoid mentioning children around her just because of what she had gone through.“But I worry you’re bottling it all
Quincy felt utterly defeated. He and Lydia had genuinely loved each other and had both invested in their relationship. How did he end up being compared to a total simp?"Lydia never did anything to betray me. If anyone was in the wrong, it was me. But Mom, drugging your own son? That’s something only you could do." Quincy turned and looked at his mother, lying there in the hospital bed.The bitterness and frustration in his heart were almost overwhelming. He still couldn’t come to terms with the fact that his own mother had drugged him. But she was sick, and as her son, he couldn’t just bring up old grievances or walk away while she lay there unwell. So, he buried everything deep down, though it made him feel suffocated.Mabel hadn’t heard about the drugging incident. She glanced at Mrs. Perez, clearly shocked. When they had asked for her help, they hadn’t mentioned that little detail.Mrs. Perez started to cough violently. Tiffany quickly stepped forward, gently patting her back
"It’s no trouble at all," Tiffany said with a smile, shaking her head. The chance to spend more time with Quincy was something she eagerly welcomed, not something she would find bothersome.Mabel gave a slightly awkward grin. "Quincy, she really does know what I like. We have a lot in common."Quincy didn’t say anything as he turned and headed for the door. They had planned everything out, and if he refused, they would label him as ungrateful. That would mean his mom might refuse her medications and treatments. He didn’t mind bearing the reputation of being unfilial, but he couldn’t stand the thought of his mother’s health deteriorating over it.Tiffany quickly followed, happily chatting all the way to the mall, though Quincy remained silent. He was just going through the motions.In the cosmetics section on the first floor, Tiffany picked up two shades of lipstick and asked him, "Quincy, which color do you think looks better?"He glanced at them. "Aren’t they the same?""No, t
Lydia stopped in her tracks and turned to Quincy, disbelief flooding her eyes. She understood every word he said, but hearing them strung together like that felt utterly surreal.“So, you’re telling me,” she said slowly, “that your mother drugged you with that kind of drug?”“Yes.” Quincy nodded, though saying it out loud made him feel deeply humiliated. Still, he had to tell her the truth. Regardless of whether they ended up divorcing or not, he couldn’t let Lydia believe he was some heartless player messing around with other women’s feelings.“I can’t believe you’re telling me the truth. I… I…” Lydia’s voice trembled, leaving her at a loss for words. Tears brimmed in her eyes until they spilled over, leaving a faint trail down her cheeks.Her mind drifted to the child they had lost so suddenly. She had found it strange at the time. Everything had been fine, and her health had been good. But as soon as Mrs. Perez arrived to ‘help,’ things had taken a turn, and she had miscarried
Eugene gave Quincy a taunting look. “Quincy, you’re a CEO now. Don’t go around playing the clingy ex. That’s hardly a good look, is it?”Quincy knew that if he could win Lydia back, he would throw his reputation aside in a heartbeat. Building his company had always been about giving her a better life. But he also knew that holding on would only add to her frustration and resentment. He couldn’t be that selfish.Lydia sighed, looking at Quincy one last time. After all they had shared, the love she felt hadn’t faded. Even though they were heading for a divorce, she wouldn’t let Eugene belittle him. “Stop it. I’m tired. Let’s just pick up the skincare for my mom so we can go home,” she said.Eugene immediately took her hand, steering her toward the exit. “Then let’s take a break first. We can grab a bite to eat and rest up. There’s no rush. It’s just us.”Not far behind, Tiffany wrapped her arm around Quincy, raising her voice so Lydia and Eugene could hear. “Quincy, let’s grab some f
Quincy didn’t respond to that. Instead, he shifted the topic. “Do you remember what you just said about Lydia?”“Of course I remember.” Tiffany didn’t understand why he suddenly asked, but she had no problem repeating herself. After all, Quincy was the one who brought it up this time. “Lydia’s running around with another man before your divorce is even finalized. She’s not a good woman, and you saw it with your own eyes. I know it’s hard for you to accept, but you can’t just fool yourself forever, can you?” She even made sure to bring up Mrs. Perez, adding, “If your mom found out, she’d be furious.”“Lydia hasn’t finalized the divorce yet, but neither have I. Miss Tiffany, I’m still married, and here you are saying all this to me. Should I interpret that as you trying to make yourself the other woman?” Quincy wasn’t holding back at all.Tiffany’s face drained of color. The term “other woman” hit her hard. How could he use such an ugly phrase to describe her?“We’re perfectly inno
Jamie sighed, knowing Ben was trying to comfort her. Though she still felt a little wistful, she quickly let it go.What she didn’t expect was that the boys’ whispered conversation would continue from the car all the way to the dinner table. Even while eating, they huddled together, making it clear no one else was welcome to join their secretive chat. Noticing how little food they had touched, Jamie tapped the table with a hint of exasperation. “Alright, you two. Mealtime is for eating, not whispering. Didn’t your teachers teach you that at school?” Charlie immediately recognized that Jamie wasn’t joking this time. She was genuinely a little upset. He quickly straightened up, putting on his most obedient expression as he picked up his utensils. “Got it, Mommy. I’ll eat properly now.” Jamie then turned her gaze to Orion, who, sensing her sternness, also sat upright and promised to focus on his food. With both boys settled and eating obediently, Jamie felt satisfied and
Ben glanced down at Jamie’s hand tightly holding his own. A faint smile flickered in his eyes, but the somber look on his face didn’t fade completely. Jamie noticed and assumed he was still upset. Unsure how to console him, she simply kept holding his hand, refusing to let go. That was precisely what Ben had intended. “It’s about time to pick up Charlie, isn’t it?” Jamie finally finished reading the case file, stretching as she glanced at the clock. It was already 4:00 PM. Preschool ended at 4:30, so if they left now, they would arrive just in time. Ben had already grabbed the car keys. “Yeah, let’s go.” Fortunately, traffic wasn’t bad, and they arrived at the preschool quickly. Jamie was scrolling through her phone when she suddenly said, “Nina messaged me. She’s busy today and can’t pick up Orion. She asked if we could swing by and get him.” They exchanged a look. Ben didn’t seem fazed. Picking up one more child didn’t make a difference to him. Jamie, ho
Most of the people nearby didn’t know what had happened. They simply listened to the man’s loud retorts and, judging by his confidence, began to cast skeptical glances at Jamie.“She looks so young. Why is she acting paranoid? How ridiculous.”“I don’t think it’s paranoia, it’s overconfidence. They say too much confidence is a sickness, and she clearly needs treatment.”“Oh, come on. I think she’s actually really pretty. Why are you all so hostile toward her? Honestly, the guy could’ve been snooping like she said. She did mention it was about her documents.”Hearing at least one voice defending her warmed Jamie’s heart. She turned and gave a smile to the young woman who had spoken up.The young woman froze for a moment, her face unexpectedly turning red. Embarrassed, she quickly looked down, pretending to sip her milk tea.Jamie didn’t linger on the moment. She refocused her attention on the man, her tone calm but firm. “I never said you were staring at me. You were clearly tryin
The girl's death was caused by her being forced to run laps despite being on her period. She had requested to be excused, but the teacher denied her request. Left with no choice, she pushed through, only to suffer a severe hemorrhage. She wasn’t treated in time and tragically passed away.The school defended itself, claiming the blame didn’t rest solely on them. They argued the girl and her family bore significant responsibility. After all, they reasoned, no one else had any issues during the drills. Why was it only her?Jamie’s frustration boiled over as she read through the case materials. “A school this shameless actually exists!”Ben tried to calm her. “Take it easy.”She took a deep breath, then sighed after a long pause. “You’re right. There are too many cases like this.”The idea of valuing a life at a mere $5,000 sounded absurd, but it wasn’t uncommon in reality. Examples of such injustices were everywhere, stemming from the lack of clear legal protections.“And that’s no
“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