Mrs. Lucas was all too happy to oblige, quickly setting her utensils down. “That’s wonderful! You two have so much in common. I’ll head upstairs for my skincare routine.”As soon as she left, Summer slid her chair closer to Ben. “I don’t have time,” he stated bluntly.“No problem. Another time, maybe?” Summer replied, undeterred. “There’s a new cafe near your law firm. How about we grab a coffee there next week?” Summer didn’t retreat just because of one rejection. She wasn’t hoping for Ben to fall madly in love with her. She just needed him to agree to marriage and eventually have a child with her. That was enough.Ben’s expression darkened. “I don’t have time any day, Miss Larson. My mother’s intentions for this dinner are obvious, and I don’t want to lead you on. I’m just going to be upfront that I’m not interested.”Summer’s smile faltered briefly but recovered just as quickly. “Well, let’s not be so absolute. People can change their minds.”When she first learned that her
Ben shook off Summer's hand, quickening his steps.“Ben, if you keep rejecting me so firmly, your mom’s just going to line up more dates for you, and others might not be as easygoing as I am. You’ll end up even more frustrated!” Summer called after him, hurrying to keep up. “Just go along with me for one act. It won’t hurt you and might actually save you some trouble. Why not give it a try?”Ben paused, his mind turning. With Jamie, he had felt like he had the world at his fingertips. No one else ever caught his eye. When she left, he had become obsessed with finding someone like her, and now that she was back, all he wanted was to channel his anger, to confront and torment her. He had no time, let alone interest, for any other woman, even as a pretense.“Just think of it as doing me a favor,” Summer continued, sensing his hesitation. “I really don’t want to be set up with some older, middle-aged guy. Do this for me, and I’ll owe you. Name it, and I’ll make it up to you.” She play
Ben closed his phone, placing it aside but forgetting to remove his earphones. When Mrs. Lucas came over, she immediately noticed. They clearly hadn’t been talking, or at best, Summer had been doing all the talking while Ben wore his earphones to tune her out. She was fuming inside, but with Summer playing along so diplomatically, Mrs. Lucas couldn’t embarrass her."As long as you two enjoyed the conversation,” she said, casting a subtle glance toward Summer. “Why don’t you stay the night, dear? We have plenty of rooms, and I can prepare one for you right next to Ben’s.”Though Mrs. Lucas casually suggested any room would do, she had already made up her mind to set Summer up in the room right next to Ben’s. After all, she had always envisioned it as her future daughter-in-law’s room. And with them staying so close, there’d be plenty of chances for those “accidental” encounters she was hoping for.Ben’s immediate reaction was to decline, but Summer beat him to it. “Thank you so
"I don’t love her." Ben denied it instantly, adding, “Do you think I’m crazy? How could I ever love a gold digger?”Mrs. Lucas narrowed her eyes. “If that’s true, then why are you unwilling to give Summer a chance? She’s everything I could hope for in a daughter-in-law. If you don’t like her, then at least give me a reason.”Ben felt his irritation build. He could barely stand to make small talk with Summer, much less think about her flaws.“I don’t want to get married right now. Please, stop pressuring me.”Mrs. Lucas took a moment to reconsider. “Fine, you two only met tonight. I won’t push you too hard. I’ll allow you both to take things slow on one condition. You must cut all ties with that woman, and any other women who aren’t worth your time.”As a mother, Mrs. Lucas wasn’t entirely unreasonable. Once a grandchild was born, if Ben still didn’t feel anything for Summer, Mrs. Lucas wouldn’t mind if he kept a few “companions” on the side. But Jamie? Absolutely not. That sick
Jamie’s clothes were torn to shreds. She didn’t resist as she knew it would be useless and would only make things worse. The more anger she provoked, the harder her days became.But her unresponsive, puppet-like demeanor only further irritated Ben. “Are you even alive?” he snapped.“What do you want me to do?” Jamie whispered, her voice thick with frustration.“Do exactly what you did in those photos, but in front of me right now.”The memory of those humiliating poses flooded back, making her wish, just for a second, that her heart would simply stop, ending the torment.“I saved every one of those photos. You don’t want Charlie to see them, do you…?”“I’ll do it,” Jamie interrupted, scrambling to sit up. She had no choice. For her son, she would endure anything. That night, Ben didn’t let up until dawn. Only then did he leave, heading to the office after a quick shower, catching a few hours of sleep there. Jamie stayed behind, lying awake in bed, staring at the ceiling in th
Jamie didn’t take the milk from Ryan. “It’s not necessary. Charlie can’t have milk right now. He’s on a restricted diet.”“Well, then you should keep it for yourself. You’re looking too thin and need to take care of your health too,” Ryan insisted, holding out the milk. “It’s nothing extravagant, just two cartons, and we’ve known each other forever. No need to be so formal with me.”Winnie glanced between Ryan and her sister, her smile growing. Just yesterday, she had told Jamie that a good man would come along, one who wouldn’t care about her past but would see her for who she truly was. And here he was!When Jamie hesitated, Winnie reached over and took the milk. “Thank you! I’m Jamie’s sister, Winnie. What’s your name?”“I’m Ryan,” he introduced himself briefly, but his eyes kept drifting toward Jamie.Winnie didn’t miss this, remembering how she had once looked at Jack with the same affection. Clearly, Ryan cared deeply for Jamie. She knew her sister had reservations after h
The test results were clear that Jamie’s son, Charlie, had no biological connection to Ben. He studied the report over and over, feeling his resentment grow. This was precisely what he had anticipated, and it only steeled his resolve that he had no reason to hold back with her now.Finishing his morning work with time to spare, Ben decided to head to the hospital. He thought a little humiliation might serve Jamie well.……At the hospital, Jamie’s attempts to explain were falling on deaf ears. The woman was convinced Jamie was lying, especially after catching Ryan’s lingering glances at her. The woman’s anger boiled over. “In the old days, women like you would have been run out of town for this kind of shameless behavior!”“You’re the one with the problem here!” Jamie’s sister, Winnie, shot back. “My sister has told you a thousand times they’re just friends. He keeps that old photo of her, not the other way around. What does that have to do with her?”Winnie couldn’t stand it a
But deep down, she couldn’t let it go. Her gaze smoldered with resentment as she looked at Jamie. She and Ryan had been together for five years. She had brought up marriage more than once, craving the stability of a home together, but every time, he had brushed it off, saying he wasn’t ready to be tied down. She had believed him. It wasn’t until she saw Jamie that she understood that “not ready” was just an excuse. He simply hadn’t found the person he truly wanted to marry. If Jamie had been the one to suggest marriage, Ryan would have jumped at the chance, probably grinning like a fool.“Let’s go. Do you really want the hospital to call security on you?” Ryan tugged her arm again. “This is a hospital, not your personal drama stage. Enough is enough.”Her? Overreacting? Was she the cause of all this? If Ryan hadn’t taken the day off to come here, if he hadn’t been in touch with Jamie, none of this would have happened. She was the one hurt in all this, wasn’t she? Her stomac
But instead of feeling touched, Vera’s first reaction was nausea. A wave of discomfort surged up from her stomach, and Vera’s face paled. She bolted for the bathroom. Caleb followed quickly. “Are you feeling sick?” “I don’t think so. I’ve been eating normally—nothing too heavy or weird lately.” 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. “When did you buy that?” He responded matter-of-factly, “Better safe than sorry.” 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 composed—at le
Of course, Vera wasn’t about to dump all her responsibilities on her assistant. That would be exploitation. She called her assistant into her office. “You’re twenty-five this year, right?” Her assistant blinked, confused. Wasn’t 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. “Miss Vera, I’m still young. I’m not thinking about marriage anytime soon.” Vera tapped her pen against the desk. “I’m not telling you to get married.” “Oh.” “I just want to offload some of the smaller daily tasks to you. You don’t have to run every minor document by me.”Her 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. “If I don’t have time to handle everything, you guys will take care of it. If something’s 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 hadn’t experienced it firsthand didn’t mean she hadn’t seen it happen to others. Without hesitation, she abandoned the half-folded pastry in her hands. “I... uh, need to use the restroom.” Before she could escape, Mrs. Smith caught her wrist. “You and Caleb aren’t getting any younger,” she said matter-of-factly. “You should start thinking about kids—make sure you’re putting in the effort, hmm?” 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. “That’s your house. This is the home I’m giving you as a weddi
That undeniable possessiveness flickered in Caleb’s gaze—subtle 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. “Mr. Smith, lift your eyes toward the camera.” Caleb’s 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. “How long until we get the final prints?” she asked. “Two to three days at most,” the photographer replied. “I’ll have them shipped directly to you.” Then, after a slight pause, he hesitated before making a request. “I actually have a personal favor to ask—would you both be open to letting us displa
Vera was tempted. They had already taken plenty of wedding photos—several sets at the island, more at the wedding itself. But this wasn’t 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 wasn’t sure what kind of shoot she wanted. The photographer, understanding her hesitation, pulled out a sample album. “You can take a look at our past work. These are some of the styles we’ve done.” Flipping through the pages, Vera saw an array of stunning concepts—each 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. “Ca
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 wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. Her assistant picked up on it. “Mrs. Smith, don’t you want to go on a honeymoon?” she asked one day. “One of my friends just got married, and she’s been obsessively researching destinations. “She even said a marriage without a honeymoon is already half a failure.” Vera froze mid-page, suddenly losing interest in the documents she had been reviewing. Her assistant hesitated, then offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you go visit Dr. Smith at work?“You seem… distracted. Maybe seeing him will help.” 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 often—especially after coming hom
Whenever they did this in the past, Caleb always maintained some restraint. But tonight—he didn’t 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 night’s intoxicating pleasure. As expected, she ended up taking the day off. It wasn’t 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. “Congratulations, Mrs. Smith!” “Newlywed bliss, huh?” “Three whole days off? Someone had a good time.” It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she had been up to. Obviously, her married life was going exceptionally well—so well that she had completely abandoned work for it. Under the weight of their mischievous stares, Vera barely k
Yelena still hadn’t accepted Hunter, but he wasn’t giving up either and was relentlessly closing in on her. Knowing Yelena’s soft heart, Vera figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in. She let out a sigh. Her friend’s love life wasn’t something she could interfere with. Besides, Caleb had already given her a little inside scoop. “She came to the hospital for a follow-up a few days ago,” he had mentioned casually. “Hunter was the one who brought her.” 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 hotel—if not better. Even the wine cellar remained untouched, stocked with years-
“Did you plan this from the start?” Vera narrowed her eyes, feeling like she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. “Mm.” Caleb smiled, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Because yes—he had always been planning this. The biggest change in Vera’s life after the island proposal was the ring now sitting on her finger. It wasn’t 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 Caleb’s parents heard that their son had finally proposed, they wasted no time pushing them to get the marriage license. *One day, Vera overheard Caleb’s mother lecturing him. “Your dad and I weren’t expecting much from you. With how much ti