Jamie did love Ben. In this lifetime, she had dreamed of being with him. But life had taught her to face reality first.She couldn’t be with Ben again.Shaking her head, she said, “I won’t get back together with Ben. Mrs. Lucas, thank you for no longer standing in our way. But Ben and I have been apart for four years now. I’m not the same Jamie I used to be. Let him keep the version of me he remembers.”It didn’t matter if Ben hated her. Over time, that hatred would fade, and with it, so would his obsession.“Why?” Mrs. Lucas pressed. “Do you want Ben to keep hating you? Don’t you want Charlie to have a complete family? Or is it because of Winnie? Are you trying to give Ben to her?”Her words hit like a knife. Jamie had considered that possibility, but she knew it was unrealistic.She shook her head. “Neither Winnie nor Ben would accept that. I just think that we’ve been apart for too long.”“But he’s never forgotten you,” Mrs. Lucas said firmly. “This is all my fault. If you’re
Ben found it hard to describe his current emotions.It felt as though something was violently pulling at him, threatening to tear him apart. The familiar scent lingering on Jamie overwhelmed his senses, sending his head spinning. Eventually, he blacked out.Mrs. Lucas panicked. “Ben!” she screamed desperately, but he didn’t wake up.Jamie reacted quickly. “Mrs. Lucas, call Caleb. Ask him to come and check on Ben.”Taking Ben to the hospital would inevitably lead to media coverage. Worse, his enemies might seize this opportunity to strike. Having Caleb come over was the safest option.“Right, I’ll call Caleb now,” Mrs. Lucas said hurriedly, snapping out of her panic.Caleb, upon hearing that Ben had coughed up blood and collapsed, grabbed his medical kit and rushed over immediately.The diagnosis was clear. Ben had been overcome by extreme anger and stress. For a man like Ben, with his wealth and career, the root of this emotional upheaval could only be Jamie.Caleb turned t
Jamie had her doubts. Until she saw Winnie’s body with her own eyes, she wouldn’t believe her sister was truly gone. Her home was already in ruins, and Winnie was her only sibling. “She’s not dead,” Ben said hoarsely. “Winnie ran away. Jamie, I can tell you exactly what happened with her pregnancy. I used her, yes, but I never laid a finger on her.” He paused, his voice low but steady. “Even though I deceived her, I made sure she had everything she needed.” The material support Ben provided to Winnie had all been used to improve Jamie’s life and pay for Charlie’s medical expenses. Winnie had genuinely loved Ben and dreamed of building a life with him. Even if she hadn’t come back yet, Jamie believed it was only a matter of time before she did. And when Winnie returned to find Jamie, Ben, and Charlie living happily together as a family, what would she think? How could Jamie disregard Winnie’s feelings? Besides, it had been four years since she and Ben had parted ways.
Ben nodded. “Got it. Please contact him as soon as you can.” “Sure.” After Nash agreed, he hung up and immediately called Nina. He was at work when he made the call. Nina answered with a chuckle. “Didn’t I tell you to focus on work when you’re busy? There’s no need to worry about things at home, right?” With a postpartum caregiver at home, there wasn’t much for Nash to handle himself. He laughed along. “I know, I know, and I haven’t forgotten. But I’m calling because Ben reached out to me. Can you talk to Wilfred? It’s about his first love’s child. The child is seriously ill and needs treatment.” “Got it. I’ll reach out to him right away,” Nina replied. Helping out friends whenever possible just came naturally.Nina explained the situation to Wilfred, who immediately agreed. “I don’t have time today, but tomorrow, you can bring me over to see him.” Wilfred was thrilled that Nina had called, even if it was on someone else’s behalf. For him, any chance to talk to
Charlie still didn’t know that Ben was his father. Throwing Charlie into such a situation, expecting him to adapt and stay with Ben before he even had time to process the truth, would undoubtedly leave him unwilling and confused. Hearing Charlie’s name, Jamie felt a stabbing pain in her heart. She began to avoid the subject. “Stop it. Let’s not talk about things that haven’t happened yet. Ben, I’m not going to be with you. And I can’t stand the thought of being separated from Charlie. If there’s no other way, then let’s just keep the truth from him forever.” Ben refused to let her avoid the issue. “What you’re doing is cruel to Charlie. He’s just over three years old, Jamie. He’s been battling illness his whole life, and he’s never had a father. Now that he has one, how can you deny him that?” Jamie fell silent. Ben’s words cut to the harsh reality of their situation. “I’ll find Winnie as soon as I can,” Ben said. He knew Jamie’s biggest concern was her sister.
Winnie held onto one belief that she had to call Jamie. Fighting through the waves of pain overwhelming her body, she slowly pulled out her phone. When Jamie saw Winnie’s name on the caller ID, she answered immediately. “Where are you?” “Jamie…” Winnie’s weak voice came through the phone. Jamie instantly sensed something was wrong. Panic set in as she shouted, “Winnie, where are you right now?” Turning to Ben, she cried out, “Ben, something’s happened to Winnie! Use your connections to locate her. She just called me. She’s in trouble!” Hearing this, Winnie’s mind flashed to an image of Jamie and Ben together. Ben had taken Charlie back, and now they were a happy family of three. But instead of anger, Winnie felt relief. “Jamie, you’ve worked so hard your whole life. Now, just be with Ben. I fell in love with Jack Green, not Ben. I lost control and acted impulsively. For Charlie’s sake, be with Ben and give Charlie a complete family. You’ll always be my sister. I do
Wilfred said, "I’ll skip this meal. Let’s head over to see your friend’s child first."“Alright, but take care on the road,” Nina replied.Since Wilfred insisted, she didn’t press him to stay. Nash then took Wilfred to Ben’s home. When they arrived, Ben wasn’t there, but Mrs. Lucas was, along with a three-year-old boy. “Mrs. Lucas,” Nash greeted politely. “Is this the child Ben mentioned?” Nash had never met Jamie’s son before, and this was his first time seeing him. Looking at the boy’s features, Nash immediately saw traces of Ben in him. Combined with Mrs. Lucas’s presence and protectiveness, it was obvious this was Ben’s child. “This must be your friend,” Mrs. Lucas said, glancing at Wilfred. “Please take a look at Charlie.” She quickly brought the boy forward. With both Ben and Jamie unwell, Mrs. Lucas had taken it upon herself to care for the child, hoping to make amends. Charlie, being an obedient and understanding boy, had quickly warmed to her. But now, wi
Hearing this, Jamie finally exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. She focused on arranging Winnie’s funeral, even though the weight of it was almost too much to bear. The dead take the past and all the pain, mistakes, and regrets with them, leaving behind only memories worth keeping. But the more Jamie remembered, the more it hurt. Ben had steadied her, calm and supportive. “If you need to cry, just cry. Your sister is gone, and everyone knows how much this hurts.” Jamie shook her head. She had cried enough. Now was the time to stay strong and see the funeral through, to send Winnie off properly. The funeral lasted a long time, though few people attended. Winnie hadn’t had many close connections in life. “Where’s Jack Green?” Jamie suddenly asked midway through. He hadn’t shown up. Winnie had held onto her feelings for him until the very end. How could he not be here for her funeral? Jamie’s heart began to race with urgency. “Ben, can you
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