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
Winnie reacted strongly, refusing to believe any of it. “We’ve known each other for so long. He’s always been so good to me, and he’s incredibly dedicated to his work. He’s an exceptional lawyer. How could he possibly do something like this? You have to investigate thoroughly and clear his name,” she said, her voice trembling. The captain waited until she finished before asking, “Miss Lewis, just now you called him ‘Jack.’ Is that right?” “Yes, that’s his name, Jack Green. We’re engaged, and we’re getting married soon. Is there a problem with me calling him that?” Winnie responded, momentarily stunned. Her first thought was that the captain was being unnecessarily nosy. Was it wrong for an engaged couple to call each other by their first names?The captain shook his head. “This has nothing to do with your upcoming marriage, but the name you’re using doesn’t match the one on his ID. Were you aware of that?” “You’re joking, right? That’s not funny,” Winnie said, her face
While Nash spent time with his daughter, Gemma, every day, Nina and Pharaoh had missed out on so much together. Now that the doctors had given Pharaoh only five years to live, it was clear they needed to make the most of the time they had left and create as many good memories as possible.Lydia completely understood.She waved goodbye to Nash, then linked her arm through Quincy’s as the two walked toward their parked car.“I was thinking that, since work has been slow, we could take a short trip to a nearby city,” Quincy said, glancing at her with a warm expression. “But it looks like we’ll have to postpone it.”With her by his side, life felt perfect.Lydia smiled. “If not this week, then next week or the one after. We’ve got all the time in the world.”They were still young, with plenty of time to do everything they wanted.……Meanwhile, Winnie was left alone at home since Jamie went out to work. With nothing else to do, she decided to tidy up. The villa was large, and clea
Nash was the first to speak. “Mrs. Lucas, what exactly happened to Ben? Can you tell us everything? Let’s see if there’s a way we can help.”“Alright. Thank goodness he has friends like you. Otherwise, I’d have no idea what to do right now.” Mrs. Lucas recounted the situation in detail but carefully omitted her own involvement.The living room fell silent, and everyone’s expressions darkened.“I raised Ben. I know my son. He would never do something like this. It must be a setup,” Mrs. Lucas said, her voice trembling with emotion. The more she spoke, the more heartbroken she felt. All she could think about now were her Ben’s virtues. Apart from refusing to listen to her about marriage and career plans, Ben had always been a good son.“Don’t worry, Mrs. Lucas. We’ll figure something out,” Lydia offered as she stood and gently guided Mrs. Lucas to the nearby study. “You should rest for a bit. Don’t wear yourself out.”Quincy watched Lydia closely as she left the room. Only when sh
Mrs. Lucas deeply regretted her decision. If she had known it would come to this, she would never have sought out this man for help. “You hide behind a mask and won’t even show your face. How can you call yourself a man?”“Mrs. Lucas, do you really think throwing insults will make me take off the mask and obediently do your bidding like a dog?” The masked man remained calm, his tone even laced with amusement, which only added to Mrs. Lucas’s frustration.She was on the verge of breaking down. “Just name your price. How much will it take to get my son out of there?”As long as Ben could walk out safely and unharmed, no amount of money was too much.But the masked man shook his head. “This isn’t about money. If it were that simple, you wouldn’t be here begging me for help.”The truth was, Mrs. Lucas had come to him because she had run out of options. He was her last hope. Yet, he shrugged nonchalantly, as if to show her just how powerless he really was.“I don’t make the laws, an
Why would Caden do this?“And then there’s that recent case you handled. The client is suspected of laundering money for an international corporation, and these are the ‘evidences’ you submitted.” The captain’s brows furrowed as he pulled a file from the side, placing it in front of Ben. “Take a look at what you turned in.”The documents were full of evasive arguments, but the worst part was that a check had somehow been slipped between the pages. With all this evidence piled up against him, even as a lawyer, Ben had no way to prove his innocence.He had no idea how things had come to this. He had personally organized and submitted these files to the court, but the ones on record were completely different. Someone had swapped them out.But who?Ben handled everything himself, except for having his assistant print the documents. Could it be…?“Mr. Lucas, the evidence is overwhelming. You’d better think about how to clear your name,” the captain said, standing up and looking at Ben
“Please come with us,” one of the officers stepped up, holding a pair of silver handcuffs.Ben was even more puzzled. He hadn’t done anything illegal. Why were these officers showing up at his office? And why the cuffs?His first reaction was to step back. “You must have the wrong person.”“Your name is Ben Lucas, right? We’ve already matched your photo. I suggest you don’t resist and just come along quietly,” the officer barked.They wouldn’t be here without solid evidence. There was no mistake.“If you’re taking me in, I’d like to know the reason,” Ben replied, still trying to make sense of what was happening.To the officers, his reaction came across as defiant, making him look even more suspicious.“Don’t tell me you’re unaware of your own wrongdoing? You’re supposed to be a lawyer, familiar with the law. How convenient to play ignorant when it applies to you!“Think carefully! Confess, and things might go easier for you. Resist, and you’ll only make it worse. Don’t interfe
How could Jamie feel right about taking the money? In just a few days, Winnie had already lent her so much. She couldn’t keep taking advantage of her.“Jamie, if I were living alone, I wouldn’t care so much. But now, with Jack and the baby on the way, it’s unrealistic for us to keep living together forever. Take this money. It’s enough to cover at least half a month’s rent,” Winnie said firmly.Jamie could hear the underlying message. Winnie was trying to hint, as gently as possible, that it might be time for Jamie to find her own place. It made sense. Winnie was building her own family and naturally wanted privacy. Having a relative around wasn’t exactly ideal, especially with everything Ben had been doing lately. While he hadn’t openly revealed anything about their past, it was clear enough that Winnie had noticed something.Jamie truly wanted to move out, but the moment she started looking for a place, Ben would make her life difficult. She didn’t mind for herself, but with
The next morning, Ben opened his eyes. He immediately noticed the blanket covering him. Could Jamie have been the one taking care of him last night?He sat up, only to see Winnie sleeping on a makeshift bed on the floor.“You’re awake? You were so drunk last night that you passed out on the way home. It was a struggle just getting you here. I even tried to wake you up for some tea to help sober you up, but you were completely out,” Winnie said as she woke up, too.After straightening up the living room a bit, she went to the kitchen and came back with a mug of warm herbal tea. “I’m guessing the hangover’s mostly gone, so you probably don’t need anything strong. But this will soothe your throat.”“You don’t have to go through all this trouble,” Ben replied, placing the mug on the coffee table without drinking it.Ben looked around the room. It was just the two of them. Where had Jamie gone?The thought nagged at him, so he asked directly.“Jack, I’m not sure if I should say this…
“He… likes my sister?” The shocking thought had barely surfaced before it jolted Winnie. “You’ve got the wrong person. I’m not Winnie,” Jamie quickly pushed Ben toward Winnie’s side.A look of irritation crossed Ben’s face. It was Jamie he wanted to hold. What did Winnie have to do with him?Annoyed, he grumbled, “Why do you keep pushing me away?”“Jack, you’re mistaken. I’m your fiancée!” Winnie finally couldn’t hold back anymore. She strode over, took Ben’s hand, and placed it around her waist. “I get that my sister and I look a bit alike, but you can’t keep confusing us like this!”She had brushed it off the first couple of times, but this was going too far.Ben still seemed inclined to push her away.Just then, the taxi arrived, and Jamie opened the front passenger door, slipping inside. Seeing this, Ben staggered in her direction, while Winnie hurried to open the back door for him.Once inside, Ben leaned back in the seat and fell asleep almost immediately.Not wanti