Nina wanted to perform well and earn a good ranking to make her child proud of her.On the way to kindergarten, she even wore her headphones and listened to the song she had prepared a few more times. When they arrived at the kindergarten entrance, she held Orion's hand as they walked towards the school.Orion's class was on the third floor, and most of the other children and parents had already arrived. As Nina walked into the classroom, several people looked up at her. The reason was simple. Among the parents, Nina stood out. Today, she wore a long black dress that accentuated her figure and exuded confidence.Some kids even ran over to Orion and whispered, “Your mom is so pretty! I wish my mom looked like yours.”“All our moms are pretty,” Orion corrected his friend. In his eyes, he believed his mom was the most beautiful in the world.The teachers had already arranged chairs for the parents, and since the classroom was spacious due to the small class size, it was easy to set
It wasn't until they left the school and got into the car that Nina noticed her bag's zipper was open. She quickly zipped it up and asked, “Orion, do you want to head straight home, or do you want to go somewhere else?”“Let’s go straight home, Mom. I’m a bit tired and want to rest. I still have school tomorrow,” Orion replied as he fastened his seatbelt.“Okay, that works for me,” Nina agreed, and they chatted as the driver navigated through traffic. Before they knew it, they were back home.Once inside, Orion didn't stay in the living room to play like he usually did. He took off his coat, changed into his house slippers, and ran up to Nina. “Mom, I’m going upstairs to do my homework. I should finish before dinner.”“Homework?” Nina was taken aback by the phrase. After all, Orion was only in preschool, not elementary school. Why did he have homework already? She understood that teachers assigned it for the kids' benefit, but she couldn’t help but worry that the pace might be too
She didn’t want to dwell on it.“I always knew I married the best woman. Being with you is truly a blessing,” Nash said as he took her hand.He suddenly realized that Orion wasn’t in the living room and asked curiously, “Where’s our son? Is he sleeping in his room?”“No, he’s working on his homework.”Nash felt a wave of emotions. “It’s hard to believe how much he’s grown. Remember when he was just born and so tiny? Now he’s already doing homework! Before we know it, he’ll be walking to school all by himself.”“That’s a good thing! Orion takes his studies seriously, and he’s really getting the hang of it,” Nina said, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Come on, he’s just doing homework, not starting a family. Why so sentimental?”Gemma reached out her tiny hand to touch Nash’s chin, then handed him her favorite toy. This was her most cherished toy, but she loved her daddy even more and wanted to share it with him.Nash took the plush toy from his daughter, squeezing
Nina was about to put down the knife and head outside when Nash stopped her. “You still need to wash your hands. It’s a hassle. I’ll go get it.” “It’s in my backpack. Just unzip it, and you’ll find it,” Nina replied, completely unguarded. She had nothing to hide, so she wasn't worried about him going through her bag. Nash left the kitchen and, along with Orion, made his way to the entrance. “Hey, buddy, do you want to share how the singing competition went today?” “Sure! Mom was amazing! Everyone was clapping for her!” Orion excitedly shared. He thought his mom was not only the prettiest but also incredibly kind. Unlike many of his classmates, he had never been scolded! A smile spread across Nash's face as he unzipped the bag and quickly found the two stickers. He handed them to Orion and placed the bag on the rack. As he turned to head back, Orion accidentally stepped on a shoe nearby and almost fell. Nash rushed to catch him, but in the process, he accidentally knocked
The neighbor's complaints only got louder. “Look, if someone’s home and they’re not opening the door, it means they don’t want to see you! Haven’t you heard of calling or texting? You can’t just keep pounding on the door. There are neighbors on both sides, you know!”Hearing the argument outside escalate, Lydia had no choice but to give in. She didn’t care how long Eugene waited out there, but she did care about the neighbors. They didn’t deserve to be disturbed.She walked briskly to the door, apologizing profusely to the neighbor. “I’m so sorry, I was sleeping deeply and didn’t hear the knocking. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I’m really sorry.”“Fine, just take it inside. Whatever argument you two are having, don’t make it the whole building’s business,” the neighbor muttered, their expression still sour but tempered by Lydia’s sincere apology.After the neighbor left, Lydia went to close the door, but Eugene quickly wedged his foot in, blocking it.“Just let me in, Lydia. We ca
“Lydia, do you really not feel anything for me? Not even a little?” Eugene asked, still clinging to a thread of hope. “Just a little, that's all I’m asking.”He had tried so hard, done everything he could, and still, it was as if he couldn’t melt Lydia’s heart.“And we've already been involved. I want to take responsibility for that. I'm not trying to play around. Lydia, please think this over carefully. We slept together!”“Do you hear yourself right now?” Lydia sighed, her patience running thin. The more he clung to her, the more determined she felt. It was clear they couldn't even remain friends.With a final attempt at patience, she said, “That night is behind us, Eugene. Stop bringing it up. According to your logic, since I have a child with Quincy, he and I should be bound together forever. But that's just not how things work.”Eugene clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. “Lydia, don’t say things just to push my buttons.”The thought of Lydia and Quincy reconciling made E
Eugene and Lydia had hardly even held hands, let alone discussed something as specific as her wrist size.“Do you have any adjustable bracelets?” he asked.“We do, but the options are limited. The more popular designs are sized,” the associate replied, eyeing him thoughtfully. It seemed odd. On one hand, he was picking out the most extravagant pieces, but on the other, he didn’t know basic details about his fiancée. By this point, most couples would have had a bit more familiarity, right?“No problem. I’ll take this one,” Eugene said, picking out the most expensive bracelet available. “And add a necklace, too.”Money wasn’t a concern for him. He wanted Lydia’s parents to see just how serious he was, so he chose the priciest pieces he could. By the time he finished, the associate’s smile was almost frozen in place. He had singlehandedly hit her monthly sales quota in one go.Next, Eugene bought a selection of fine cigars and spirits before heading over to Lydia’s parents' house,
Marriage was no trivial matter, and Mrs. Fay couldn’t make such a decision for her daughter so casually. She exchanged a glance with Mr. Fay, who quickly poured Eugene a cup of tea. “Eugene, you’ve been talking since you arrived. Take a moment to relax and have some tea,” he said.“Mr. and Mrs. Fay, I genuinely want to marry Lydia. Our families are well-matched, and I assure you she would be well taken care of. My parents would treat her as their own daughter. Please, just give me your blessing.” Eugene took the tea but didn’t drink it, his eyes fixed on them with hope.Mr. Fay hesitated. “Eugene, I still think this is all a bit rushed. Before any talk of marriage, we should meet with your parents and discuss the details thoroughly. So, take these gifts back for now, and let’s set up a time to visit.”Eugene could sense the hesitancy in Mr. Fay’s tone. He had pushed as hard as he could. Short of dragging Lydia down to the courthouse to get a marriage license, he had run out of opt
Ben had decided to play mysterious, leaving Jamie both curious and secretly overjoyed. In the end, he hadn’t hidden the surprise too deeply. That night, as Jamie got ready for bed, she found his surprise tucked under her pillow—a photograph. In the picture, taken at a famous tower overseas, her sister and mother stood together, smiling brightly. Jamie froze, her eyes instantly welling up with tears. Her voice trembled as she turned to Ben. “How did you find them?” Ben rested a hand on Jamie’s shoulder, pulling her gently into a half-embrace. He was silent for a moment before picking up the photograph. “I didn’t find them,” he said softly. “To be precise, they found me.” He went on to explain. Yesterday, he had received a letter from overseas. In today’s world of instant communication, handwritten letters were almost unheard of, and this one had taken a long time to arrive. Even if they wanted to fly out to find her family now, it would be nearly impossible. L
Jamie’s eyes landed on the large bouquet of red roses in Ben’s hands. “You knew about this all along, didn’t you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “That’s why I got you these flowers. Will you forgive me?” Ben’s gentle smile softened his usually reserved demeanor, revealing a rare warmth that seemed out of character. Jamie hesitated for a moment before taking the bouquet. “Fine, I’ll forgive you… but just this once,” she said, pretending to sound reluctant. Ben chuckled at her tone, his amusement evident as he turned his head slightly to hide another laugh. Meanwhile, Charlie covered his face with his hands, but the little boy’s curiosity got the better of him, and he peeked through his fingers to watch. Nina cleared her throat loudly. “Alright, we get it—you two are ridiculously cute. But could you save it for later? If we don’t start eating soon, the food’s going to get cold!” Jamie pulled Charlie close and led him to the table. Everyone sat down to eat togethe
Ben rubbed his tired eyes after reviewing the draft for a while. When he looked back at Jamie, a faint smile curved his lips. “The draft looks good—just a few minor issues.” Jamie immediately perked up, eager to learn, like a diligent student. Playing the role of her temporary teacher, Ben shared everything he knew without holding back. The afternoon flew by. Feeling satisfied, Jamie grabbed the draft with fresh notes and rushed off to make revisions. She became so immersed in her work that she didn’t even notice how much time had passed until evening. Ben, having finished his own tasks, looked over and saw Jamie still glued to her computer. With a sigh, he rubbed his forehead and walked over to pull her up from her chair. Jamie yelped as her upper body suddenly left the ground. “Ben, what are you doing? I’m not done yet!” Ben pointed to his watch. “Take a look at the time.” Jamie glanced at the clock, then jumped up in alarm, nearly bumping into him. “Charlie!”
Ben picked up the project proposal that had been set aside. Realizing she had misunderstood, Lila felt a flicker of embarrassment but quickly composed herself. Glancing at his actions, she said calmly, “This is the project I want your team to handle. So, can you do it or not?” Jamie couldn’t read Ben’s thoughts. She only knew she didn’t want Lila to get her way. This woman had been looking for trouble from the start, clearly acting with bad intentions. Why give her an opportunity to exploit? But Ben glanced at Jamie, the corners of his lips curving into a gentle smile, almost as if to reassure her. “I think it’s doable.” He directed the comment to Jamie, but Lila assumed it was for her. Instantly, her earlier frustration vanished, and she crossed her arms smugly. “Did you hear that, Jamie? Ben is your boss, isn’t he? Now that he’s given the green light, you don’t have anything else to say, do you?”Her self-satisfied demeanor made it seem as if she had already secured her
Lila spoke coolly. “Well, since no one ever mentioned it to you, now you know. Jamie, when you used to work in the service industry, weren’t you well aware of these things? So why is it that now, after being with Ben, you’ve changed so quickly? Forgetting where you came from this fast is something else.”Jamie had insisted on handling this meeting with Lila herself. Even though Ben had dropped her off and wanted to accompany her inside, she had stopped him at the door. And now, it was clear. Lila, seeing Jamie alone, felt free to mock and humiliate her without restraint. Jamie stood abruptly, her presence suddenly intense. “Lila, do you know why I’m here today?” Lila sneered dismissively. “I couldn’t care less about your intentions. But since you’re here, you should remember one thing—I’m your client.” “Client?” Jamie couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Did we finalize a partnership? You seem to have forgotten that just as you can choose not to work with me, I also have the
At the event that day, some people were bold enough to question Ben directly to his face. It was no surprise that, in his absence, they felt free to make unpleasant comments to Jamie instead, leaving her to deal with it alone.Ben held Jamie’s hand, his gaze soft and full of care. “After everything we’ve been through to get here, you should understand how determined I am to protect you,” he said gently, his voice steady and soothing. “If anything happens to you, you have to tell me. If you don’t, how am I supposed to know? I can’t let you suffer in silence.”Jamie nodded. “I know. I promise. But I really just want to use this opportunity to prove myself.” How could she not? If she didn’t prove herself now, when would she? Her goal was to stand alongside Ben for the long haul. “And what exactly will proving yourself through working with her accomplish? Jamie, you need to understand that as long as you’re with me, you don’t need to—” Before Ben could finish, Jamie placed
“Why don’t you stay home and take care of Charlie? With you watching over him, I’d feel completely at ease. Besides, I’m earning enough money now. You don’t need to worry. I can more than provide for the both of you,” Ben said, his tone gentle but firm.The Lucas Corporation was massive, and Ben’s past work as a lawyer brought in astronomical fees, starting in the millions. Financial security was never a concern for their family.Jamie shook her head. “The work I’ve done before was all over the place, but didn’t you support me in doing it? What’s this sudden change, Ben? You’re switching sides faster than flipping a page!”Her decision to return to studying law had been encouraged by Ben himself. But now, hearing him say this, it felt like he was wavering, as though he wanted her to stay at home. Stay at home and do what? Take care of the child? To Jamie, this was an opportunity she couldn’t let slip away. It was her chance to prove herself. “That’s not what I meant,” Be
Lila visited Summer, whose condition had visibly deteriorated. “Looking at you now, do you regret any of it?” Lila asked. If Summer hadn’t been so fixated on Ben, she wouldn’t have ended up this way, consumed by obsession. Summer gave a bitter smile. “With so many twists and turns in life, who even has the right to speak of regret?” She reached out and held Lila’s hand tightly. “Lila, let my experience be a lesson to you. Make sure you see things clearly and never do anything foolish for someone who doesn’t love you.” It was sound advice, and Lila couldn’t help but feel indignant on Summer’s behalf. But her indignation was meaningless. Back then, all she had wanted was to make things difficult for Jamie. In the end, it had backfired, leaving her worse off. “I’m sorry, Summer,” Lila said remorsefully. “I couldn’t even help you get justice. I still carry that guilt.” “You don’t owe me an apology,” Summer replied gently. “You came to see me and cared enough to thin
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