What if Lydia couldnโt handle it and did something to hurt herself? How would they survive?โDad, if somethingโs wrong, just tell me. Donโt carry everything on your own like this,โ Lydia pressed, refusing to back down.She stood firm in front of him, making it clear she wouldnโt leave until he explained everything.Mrs. Fay came over as well, gently urging her husband. โWeโre a family. Thereโs nothing we canโt talk about. If Quincy really did something terrible, Lydia needs to know. Itโs better for her to see his true colors than to be kept in the dark.โMr. Fay tried to brush it off. โItโs really nothing. I was just chatting with someone about their perfect son-in-law, and it reminded me of Quincy, which made me angry. Letโs not dwell on these unpleasant things.โBut after so many years together, Lydia knew her father far too well to be fooled by a few words. She wasnโt about to let it slide so easily.Pulling out her phone, she said, โIf you wonโt tell me, Iโll find out for mys
The calmer Lydia appeared, the more anxious Mrs. Fay became. She would prefer if Lydia broke down in tears, screamed, or even smashed everything in the house. Anything but this eerie calmness.Mrs. Fay pulled her into a tight embrace. โLydia, you know youโre our only child. If anything were to happen to you, your father and I wouldnโt survive it.โWith the awful things being said online, Mrs. Fay was terrified that her daughter might not be able to handle it and would consider something drastic.But Lydia wouldnโt let that happen. She wrapped her arms around her mother, noticing how much weight she had lost. It was something Lydia hadnโt realized before. All because she had been worried about her.โI may have lost my child, but I still have you and Dad. Youโre the best parents in the world, and I want to take care of you. As long as we clear up the truth, everything will be fine,โ Lydia reassured her, though as soon as she spoke, the doorbell rang.She quickly went to the door and
Quite the opposite, Mrs. Fay believed that Eugeneโs tears were proof of how deeply he loved Lydia. Because of his love, he could truly empathize with her pain and feel her suffering.Lydia wanted to say she didnโt need Eugeneโs help, but seeing the exhausted faces of her parents, what choice did she have? Could she really just kick him out?Doing so would only hurt her parents, who had already been through so much. So, instead, she watched as Eugene sat down with her parents on the couch.โMr. and Mrs. Fay, Iโve already come up with a plan for handling the online scandal on my way over. Weโll fight fire with fire. They want to attack Lydia? Well, Quincy is no saint either! Heโs been messing around with another woman the whole time.โ Eugene slammed his hand down on the table to emphasize his point. โLydia and I havenโt even been in touch, but Quincyโs cheating led to Lydia losing her child. Iโll make sure he ends up with nothing.โLydia didnโt want things to escalate like this. In h
โNo, not yet,โ the doctor sighed heavily, โYour motherโs condition is incredibly severe. The chances of a successful surgery are very, very slim. She already had a weak heart, and now with this brain hemorrhage, itโs a tough situation. In all my years of practice, Iโve never seen anything like this.โQuincy felt a sudden chill grip his heart. He had always hated his mother meddling in his marriage, and had even thought to himself that it would be a relief if she stopped interfering one day. But he had never imagined the cost would be her life.โDoctor, is thereโโโWhatever you need to ask can wait. First, you need to sign the critical condition notice. Every second you delay puts your mother in more danger,โ the doctor interrupted, handing over the papers.A nurse quickly brought over the pen and paperwork. Quincy grabbed the black pen and, without hesitation, signed his name. He watched as the doctor disappeared back into the operating room. His heart felt like it was lodged in
Tiffany's eyes filled with tears. โMrs. Perez, itโs just that Iโm not lucky enough to be your daughter-in-law.โโDonโt say that, dear. Youโre a sweet, thoughtful girl, and your luck will come in time,โ Mrs. Perez consoled her before calling Quincy over.Quincy approached, but he kept a noticeable distance from Tiffany, not wanting any association with her.Mrs. Perez grabbed his hand and placed it in Tiffanyโs, saying, โQuincy, this is my only wish. You refuse to fulfill it, so Iโll settle for Tiffany becoming my daughter. She can be your sister instead. That should be acceptable, right?โโMom, I already have a sister. Mabel is standing right here,โ Quincy replied, exasperated. He couldnโt believe his motherโs persistence. She wasnโt even that old, but she was acting like she had lost her mind. If she had really wanted another child, she could have had one back then. Modern medicine had come a long way. She could have gone abroad and had another child through IVF if she wanted to
When the secretary finally explained the situation to Quincy in full detail, his first reaction wasnโt about how badly he was being dragged through the mud. It was concern for Lydia. โLydia never did anything wrong to me. She doesnโt deserve this kind of treatment. Whoโs behind all of this?โEven if Lydia was with someone else now, as long as the man treated her well, Quincy would feel no more than bitter regret. He would never blame Lydia for anything. She was a wonderful person, and it was his failure to be the husband she deserved that had led to their separation.โIโm not sure,โ the secretary replied. โA user posted a video online, and suddenly all the major marketing accounts started sharing it. It quickly trended on social media. Then the Fay family retaliated.โWithout hesitation, Quincy ordered, โGet a team on it immediately. Issue clarifications and send legal notices to those accounts. If they keep spreading lies, weโll take legal action.โWith that, he hurried out, det
As they walked out the door, Eugene seemed to be trying to calm Mr. Fay down, but every word he spoke only fueled the fire.Just as they reached the entrance, they ran into Quincy.โYouโve got the nerve to show up here? After everything youโve done to my daughter, what are you doing here now?โ Mr. Fay rolled up his sleeves, clenching his fists tightly.Normally a calm and rational man, Mr. Fay wasnโt one to resort to violence. But right now, all he wanted was to land a punch on Quincyโs face to vent his rage for Lydia's sake.โMr. Fay, Iโm so sorry. Itโs my fault I couldnโt take better care of Lydia, Iโโ Quincy began to apologize sincerely, but before he could finish, Eugene cut him off.Panicked, afraid that the truth might come out, Eugene was desperate to get Quincy out of there. โYou two are divorced now. You have no right to be here. Get lost! Youโve already hurt Lydia enough, and now you want to come here and harass her parents?โโEugene, even if you want to swoop in and ta
How much suffering had his daughter endured during her marriage?As Mr. Fay thought back to the online attacks, where so many people blindly insulted Lydia, hurling vicious words at her, his fury reached its peak. He couldnโt hold back any longer. His fists, fueled by rage, landed punch after punch on Quincy.โMr. Fay, Eugene is a liar. You canโt believe anything he says. I never laid a hand on Lydia, and I would never try to slander her,โ Quincy pleaded, trying his best to avoid the blows without fighting back. He didnโt want to hurt Mr. Fay. He dodged and explained, but Mr. Fay, blinded by anger, wasnโt hearing any of it.โI only believe what Iโve seen with my own eyes,โ Mr. Fay spat, his voice trembling with fury. โYouโre just like your mother, constantly making my daughterโs life miserable. What good could possibly come from you?โQuincy fell silent, unable to respond. As a man, he could understand Mr. Fayโs reaction. If his own daughter had been hurt like that, he wouldnโt
But instead of feeling touched, Veraโs first reaction was nausea. A wave of discomfort surged up from her stomach, and Veraโs face paled. She bolted for the bathroom. Caleb followed quickly. โAre you feeling sick?โ โI donโt think so. Iโve been eating normallyโnothing too heavy or weird lately.โ Vera clutched her stomach, just as confused as he was. Then, a possibility flashed through her mind. Caleb clearly had the same thought. Without a word, he turned and walked into their bedroom, returning moments later with a pregnancy test. Vera looked at him, stunned. โWhen did you buy that?โ He responded matter-of-factly, โBetter safe than sorry.โ Vera was momentarily speechless. Five minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. It was positive. They had only been married for three months. How did this happen so fast?Caleb, on the other hand, remained composedโat le
Of course, Vera wasnโt about to dump all her responsibilities on her assistant. That would be exploitation. She called her assistant into her office. โYouโre twenty-five this year, right?โ Her assistant blinked, confused. Wasnโt her age common knowledge? Why was Vera suddenly bringing it up? A thought struck her. Was this an arranged marriage situation? Her face immediately filled with silent refusal. โMiss Vera, Iโm still young. Iโm not thinking about marriage anytime soon.โ Vera tapped her pen against the desk. โIโm not telling you to get married.โ โOh.โ โI just want to offload some of the smaller daily tasks to you. You donโt have to run every minor document by me.โHer assistant instantly understood. A raise. After confirming she was on board, Vera gave her a salary bump and had her hire a few more assistants to distribute the workload. โIf I donโt have time to handle everything, you guys will take care of it. If somethingโs too complicated, jus
Vera could sense danger the moment the conversation turned in this direction. Her father had never questioned her about married life, and she was lucky enough to avoid nosy relatives. But just because she hadnโt experienced it firsthand didnโt mean she hadnโt seen it happen to others. Without hesitation, she abandoned the half-folded pastry in her hands. โI... uh, need to use the restroom.โ Before she could escape, Mrs. Smith caught her wrist. โYou and Caleb arenโt getting any younger,โ she said matter-of-factly. โYou should start thinking about kidsโmake sure youโre putting in the effort, hmm?โ Vera left the kitchen visibly drained. Mrs. Smith was a wonderful mother-in-law, the kind who treated Vera like her own daughter. Despite knowing Vera came from a well-off family, she had still gifted them a house as a wedding present. Of course, Caleb already owned a place, but his mother had insisted. โThatโs your house. This is the home Iโm giving you as a weddi
That undeniable possessiveness flickered in Calebโs gazeโsubtle yet impossible to ignore. It was the kind of look a powerful man might give his beloved in an old Hollywood film. And right now, the photographer felt like the unlucky bystander who had accidentally stumbled upon an intimate scene. His voice wavered slightly, caught up in his own imagination. โMr. Smith, lift your eyes toward the camera.โ Calebโs sharp gaze flickered over, intense and commanding. The photographer instinctively pressed the shutter. They continued with several more poses, reviewing the shots as they went. Vera loved them all, but her favorite was still the vintage-inspired one. โHow long until we get the final prints?โ she asked. โTwo to three days at most,โ the photographer replied. โIโll have them shipped directly to you.โ Then, after a slight pause, he hesitated before making a request. โI actually have a personal favor to askโwould you both be open to letting us displa
Vera was tempted. They had already taken plenty of wedding photosโseveral sets at the island, more at the wedding itself. But this wasnโt just any photo studio. It was privately booked and known for being one of the most prestigious studios in the city. Appointments here were nearly impossible to get. The fact that Caleb had managed to secure a session meant he had gone to great lengths to make it happen. If they were just going to take ordinary wedding pictures, it would be a waste of an opportunity. Still, she wasnโt sure what kind of shoot she wanted. The photographer, understanding her hesitation, pulled out a sample album. โYou can take a look at our past work. These are some of the styles weโve done.โ Flipping through the pages, Vera saw an array of stunning conceptsโeach picture more breathtaking than the last. Then, one particular set caught her eye. A Golden Age Hollywood theme.It was classic, nostalgic, and beautifully atmospheric. โCa
After the wedding, Vera considered taking some time off for a honeymoon. But the thought quickly faded when she realized Caleb had been practically living at the hospital. With a sigh, she dismissed the idea. She was used to it, but to say she wasnโt disappointed would be a lie. Her assistant picked up on it. โMrs. Smith, donโt you want to go on a honeymoon?โ she asked one day. โOne of my friends just got married, and sheโs been obsessively researching destinations. โShe even said a marriage without a honeymoon is already half a failure.โ Vera froze mid-page, suddenly losing interest in the documents she had been reviewing. Her assistant hesitated, then offered a suggestion. โWhy donโt you go visit Dr. Smith at work?โYou seemโฆ distracted. Maybe seeing him will help.โ Vera snapped out of her daze, suddenly aware of how preoccupied she had been lately. It was embarrassing to admit, but she had been zoning out far too oftenโespecially after coming hom
Whenever they did this in the past, Caleb always maintained some restraint. But tonightโhe didnโt hold back at all. He took her from the bedroom to the bathroom, then back to the bed, his searing kisses trailing every inch of her skin. The next morning, even as she woke up, Vera could still feel the lingering traces of last nightโs intoxicating pleasure. As expected, she ended up taking the day off. It wasnโt until two days later that she finally returned to work. *Everyone at the company had already prepared for this. The moment Vera walked into the office, she was greeted with knowing smiles and teasing remarks. โCongratulations, Mrs. Smith!โ โNewlywed bliss, huh?โ โThree whole days off? Someone had a good time.โ It didnโt take a genius to figure out what she had been up to. Obviously, her married life was going exceptionally wellโso well that she had completely abandoned work for it. Under the weight of their mischievous stares, Vera barely k
Yelena still hadnโt accepted Hunter, but he wasnโt giving up either and was relentlessly closing in on her. Knowing Yelenaโs soft heart, Vera figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in. She let out a sigh. Her friendโs love life wasnโt something she could interfere with. Besides, Caleb had already given her a little inside scoop. โShe came to the hospital for a follow-up a few days ago,โ he had mentioned casually. โHunter was the one who brought her.โ Vera had clicked her tongue at the news. Yelena always seemed quiet and reserved, but apparently, she was full of surprises.*Time flew by in the blink of an eye.By mid-month, Caleb had rented out an entire vineyard and spent several days transforming it into the perfect wedding venue.When the day arrived, the celebration took place right there.The vineyard was sprawling and elegant, every bit as grand as any luxury hotelโif not better. Even the wine cellar remained untouched, stocked with years-
โDid you plan this from the start?โ Vera narrowed her eyes, feeling like she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. โMm.โ Caleb smiled, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Because yesโhe had always been planning this. The biggest change in Veraโs life after the island proposal was the ring now sitting on her finger. It wasnโt just any ring. It was custom-made, something Caleb had specially ordered. She only found out by accident when she glanced at his phone one day and saw the purchase record. It had been ordered two months ago. Vera did the math and was stunned. He had been preparing for this long before she even started getting impatient. Her heart swelled with emotion. And as soon as Calebโs parents heard that their son had finally proposed, they wasted no time pushing them to get the marriage license. *One day, Vera overheard Calebโs mother lecturing him. โYour dad and I werenโt expecting much from you. With how much ti