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'
The more Nina listened, the more absurd it seemed. "You're overthinking it. I'm just telling the truth.""Do you dare to say you don't like Mr. York?" Linda looked into her eyes and asked.Since Nina was speaking the truth, she hesitated on this one. "Your silence means consent."As a woman, her intuition was spot-on, and she did indeed have feelings for Nash. If after all these years Nash hadn't returned her affections, it meant there was no romantic future for them. Yet, Nina also made sure no other women dared to fancy Mr. York. It explained the scarcity of rumors surrounding him; she must have meddled."Nina, we can compete fairly. If I lose, then I'll accept it," Linda said earnestly. "If Mr. York doesn't like me, then I'll back off and stop bothering him."Nina found it laughable. "Do you really think I see you as a rival?"Linda understood. "I know you've been by Mr. York's side for many years. He has feelings for you, but not romantic ones. It's the affection between a
The car quickly departed from the front of the building. Watching the shadow of the car fading away, Nina involuntarily clenched her fists."So, this lady wasn't lying. She really does have a connection with Mr. York," the receptionist remarked, feeling uncertain."They took her away, their relationship must be good. If Mr. York blames us, we'll be in trouble," someone else commented.Hearing this, Nina felt a bit down. She had witnessed Mr. York's ruthlessness towards women, as well as his tenderness. It all depended on whether he liked them or not. If he favored someone like Miranda, he'd rush her to the hospital even for a minor injury. He'd also worry about Linda if she got hurt, rushing to take her to the hospital without delay.The receptionist was also a bit flustered, fearing that the accident might have resulted from her attempt to prevent Linda from visiting Mr. York. She pleaded, "Nina, if Mr. York holds us accountable, could you please put in a good word for us?"Nin
Grandpa George's words resonated deeply with her. Having experienced so many wars, he understood how precious the present days were. A strong nation was less likely to be bullied, so it was essential to safeguard this homeland. Though Nina hadn't lived through the cruelty of that era, she could still recognize that Grandpa George's most glorious moments were in his youth. Even as he aged, he still harbored a desire to contribute more to the country.Grandpa George's eyes welled up as he spoke. Nina listened attentively, noticing the scars left on his legs from gunshot wounds, which revealed the hardships they had endured."Grandpa George, our country is strong now, and there are many talented individuals. There's little chance of war happening," Nina comforted him."You shouldn't be too complacent," Grandpa George cautioned.Suddenly, he chuckled, "But there's no shortage of talent. Nash is a prime example. Achieving feats at such a young age. It's all thanks to his grandfather.
He was reminding Nina. Her own husband should be managed well, and she shouldn't let others take advantage of her.Nina didn't want Grandpa George to worry about her relationship with Nash while he was ill, so she smiled and said, "I know, Nash has already talked to me about it. Grandpa George, it's getting late, and it's chilly outside. Let's go back in.""Okay." Grandpa George understood and didn't say anything more.Nina escorted Grandpa George back to his hospital room, bid him farewell, and was debating whether or not to go to the obstetrics and gynecology department. But Linda happened to call her, "Nina, could you come to the hospital? I have something to discuss with you."Nina decided to go after all.Quincy was standing guard at the door and seemed bewildered when he saw Nina approaching, as if he was afraid of her coming here."Nina, why are you here?" Quincy forced a smile.Nina remained calm and asked, "What's going on?""Well, maybe you should call Mr. York first
Quincy glanced at Nina. Nina said, "Please leave." Quincy then closed the door. Linda lifted the covers, sat on the edge of the bed, and eagerly caressed her belly. "Nina, I know Mr. York has someone in his heart." Nina clenched her fists tightly. Linda hung her head and slowly continued, "Mr. York's kindness towards me is also because of that person. He only likes me because I resemble her. Even so, I am content. I don't ask for much. Being pregnant with Mr. York's child is enough for me." At this point, Linda looked at Nina and said, "Nina, you are also aware, aren't you? That person's name is Miranda." Nina's face turned pale. She even knew about this. "Has Nash told you that he considers you a substitute for Miranda?" Nina asked again. Linda shrugged, "Whether I'm a substitute or not doesn't matter to me. I was born ordinary, so receiving even a bit of favoritism is enough." If it weren't for Nash personally telling Linda, how would she have known? Nina felt dishearte
Vera forced an awkward smile at Hunter before quickly retreating back into the bathroom to change. Hunter, watching her leave, couldn't help but smirk. “You’re really living the good life, huh?” he teased. “Didn’t expect you to have such luck.” Caleb rolled his eyes, clearly uninterested. “Enough with the nonsense. Why are you here? And who exactly were you talking about over the phone?” He didn’t want to entertain pointless banter, especially not about women. If he was being honest, even he couldn’t fully explain his feelings toward Luna. He wasn’t sure what was left between them—was it love, or just the remnants of something that had long turned sour? That pitiful look in her eyes earlier had shaken him. For a fleeting moment, he had wanted to pull her into his arms, to comfort her like he used to. But after so many years of being humiliated and pushed aside, he had forgotten how to even speak to her anymore. So instead, he did what was easiest—he change
Hunter spoke casually, his tone light. “Just someone, that’s all. Do you really need all these details?” Caleb was now certain of his suspicion. “Hunter, did you forget what I do for a living? I’m a doctor. If you’re asking me about this, I need to get a clear picture before I can give you an answer.” Hunter exhaled lightly. “That’s fair, but some things can’t be diagnosed right away.” Based on the information Yelena provided earlier, Hunter was only speculating about Liam. But Caleb was an expert in this area, so he specifically called to ask him.Still, explaining everything over the phone wasn’t going to work. “Forget it,” Hunter said. “This isn’t something I can explain over a call. Where are you? I’ll come over.” Caleb hesitated for a moment before glancing at Vera, who was still beside him. In the end, he gave Hunter the address to his villa. Hunter chuckled. “Haha. I’m surprised. You actually do go home to rest.” Caleb ignored the jab and tossed his p
“Call me Liam.” Before Yelena could finish speaking, Liam cut her off with a sharp, angry voice. She quickly nodded and corrected herself. “Liam, don’t worry. I’ll do exactly as you say. I’ll be good. I won’t make you angry again.” But Liam didn’t care. With a violent shove, he threw her to the ground. Yelena barely had time to brace herself before hitting the cold floor hard, pain radiating through her limbs. Liam, however, just looked down at her with a twisted grin, laughing like she was nothing more than a ridiculous joke. “You’d better learn fast,” he sneered. “And leave your hand broken for a few days—feel the pain properly.” “Alright.” Her voice was quiet, submissive. But Liam wasn’t listening. Without another glance, he turned and walked away. As she watched his retreating figure, Yelena felt a deep sense of dread rise in her throat. Liam wasn’t human. He was something far worse. Her future with him would be nothing short of hell.
Yelena had made her stance clear—her loyalty was with Hunter. But instead of being convinced, Hunter let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “You sure your loyalty is to me? Or is it just to money?” His words hit like a slap. Yelena stiffened, feeling the sting of humiliation. It was true. When she had been desperate, with nowhere left to turn, she had thrown herself at Hunter, begging him for help. If she had any other choice, if she hadn’t been pushed into a corner, she would have never given up her pride like that. Lowering her gaze, she spoke with measured calmness. “Mr. Hall, you gave me two hundred thousand dollars. You helped me when no one else did. That makes you my benefactor. And loyalty to one’s benefactor… that’s only right.” She didn’t dare meet his eyes, but her voice was firm. Hunter studied her for a moment before scoffing. “Enough with the useless talk.” His voice was cold and dismissive. “Just go back to Liam’s side and do what you’re suppose
Yelena needed to tell Hunter about this. But before she could finish, Hunter’s cold voice cut through her thoughts. She lowered her head. “This is just how I normally dress. I didn’t deliberately choose my outfit to seduce you, Mr. Hunter. Besides, your brother isn’t even interested in me.” She hesitated before adding, “That two hundred thousand…” Hunter narrowed his eyes. “What are you trying to say?” Seeing his growing impatience, Yelena clenched her fists, still looking down. “I mean exactly what I said. Any normal man wouldn’t turn down a woman who willingly throws herself at him. That night, Liam clearly said he would take me somewhere else… but when we got there, he never touched me. Ever since then, he treats me like I don’t even exist—like I’m nothing but air.” Hunter’s expression darkened instantly. “Are you implying something?” The implication in Yelena’s words was clear. She had just suggested that any normal man wouldn’t refuse a willing woman.
Vera, as a bystander, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for Luna. But if she felt that way, how much worse must it be for Caleb—the man who had loved Luna for years? His pain was unimaginable. Yet, despite the hurt clawing at his chest, Caleb remained cold and unmoved. He didn’t let go. He didn’t waver at Luna’s tearful pleas. Instead, his voice was indifferent as he spoke. “Luna, women always say that late affection is the cheapest thing of all. But the same goes for men—I don’t love you the way I used to. You should go back to Simon.” And as if to drive the knife even deeper, he added, “I’m sure Simon still loves you very much.” If Luna had truly wanted Simon’s love, she would have accepted it long ago. She would have stayed by his side instead of chasing after Caleb now. In the end, men and women were the same. When they loved you, they would cherish you like a treasure. When they stopped, you became nothing more than an afterthought.
Caleb had no desire to argue with Luna any further. Instead, he turned to Vera. With just one look, she understood and stepped closer to him. Caleb wrapped an arm around her waist. “Luna,” he said calmly, “being with Vera isn’t as exhausting as being with you. Love should go both ways. I hope you can understand that.” “No!” Luna’s voice cracked. “She’s only with you because you helped her solve her problems. If you weren’t Caleb Smith, if you didn’t have the power to fix things for her, she’d be nothing!” Her dark eyes burned with resentment as she glared at Vera. Vera knew she had become Luna’s enemy—but what could she do? Caleb had already made his stance clear. Was she supposed to deny it? Pretend he didn’t just declare his feelings in front of Luna? With a steady voice, Vera replied, “Yes, I do go along with Caleb. He treats me well, and we’ve chosen to be together. We’re both single adults. What exactly is the problem?” She met Luna’s icy gaze head
Caleb had never seen Luna like this before. But then again, even after realizing her feelings, she still carried herself with the same untouchable arrogance. He turned his head away, refusing to look at her. “Don’t you already have Simon by your side? “Or is he not enough for you?” The moment the words left Caleb’s lips, Luna felt a sharp stab of pain in her chest. Simon had always been the biggest issue between her and Caleb. To her, there was nothing between them now—just an unresolved regret from the past. Yet Caleb had never stopped making it an issue, over and over again. “You keep bringing up Simon because you want me to push him away. But tell me, Caleb, where exactly do you expect me to send him? He’s alone with a daughter to care for.“We’ve known each other for years. It’s not just about Simon. If you were in his position, I would help you too.” Luna’s voice was steady, her words firm—completely oblivious to the mistake in her reasoning. Caleb ha
Luna took a deep breath, clarity washing over her. In that moment, she knew that she had to get Caleb back. She yanked her hand free from Simon’s grasp. “Simon, I need to go find Caleb,” she said firmly. “I’ll be leaving now. You and your daughter can rest here. Stay in this villa for now, and once you have the money, I’ll sell it to you at half price.” With that, she turned and walked away without hesitation. Luna drove as fast as she could to find Caleb. Caleb was a complete workaholic—aside from the hospital, there was nowhere else he would be.But when she arrived, he was nowhere to be found. A nurse informed her that Caleb had taken the day off. Luna knew exactly where his private villa was. Instead of calling him, she went there directly. She knocked on the door, and to her surprise, the person who answered wasn’t Caleb—but Vera. Vera seemed equally taken aback but quickly regained her composure, maintaining polite courtesy. “Miss Gibson, please wait h