Jamie had originally come with the intention of helping Ben in some small way. She hadn’t planned on agreeing to his job offer so quickly, but seeing his exhaustion had changed her mind. That evening, Ben invited her to dinner. Jamie wanted to decline, but Ben cut her off. “Consider it a celebration for your new position. There’s a restaurant I think you’d like. We could pick up Charlie and bring him along.” At the mention of Charlie, Jamie couldn’t find a reason to refuse. Charlie rarely got to go out, and Jamie often felt guilty about that. She always wanted to make it up to him, even in small ways. Ben drove them back to pick up Charlie, who had been at home with the helper. Since the helper hadn’t started dinner yet, Jamie told her there was no need. *When Charlie heard they were going out for dinner, he was thrilled. “Mommy, where are we going? Can we have burgers?” Jamie started to say no, but seeing the excitement in his bright eyes, she changed her answer
The car skidded to a halt, narrowly avoiding disaster. Before the stunned driver could process what had just happened, a large, out-of-control truck barreled through the intersection ahead. The truck was moving too fast to stop, flipping over and sliding across the road, smashing into several vehicles in its path. The screeching metal and shattering glass filled the air, leaving the driver visibly shaken. Had it not been for Jamie’s timely warning, the consequences could have been catastrophic.Ben frowned and glanced at Jamie, who was pale with fear. He wanted to ask her something but knew now wasn’t the time. “Turn around and take another route,” he instructed the driver. It took a moment for the driver to regain his composure before restarting the car and pulling away. Not long after they left, the scene was surrounded by police vehicles. Traffic on that road came to a standstill as officers began redirecting cars. The drive home was smooth, but this time the driv
After breakfast, Jamie took Charlie to his preschool. It wasn’t far. It was just a ten-minute drive. From a distance, she spotted a teacher with long hair and a scarf standing at the preschool entrance, greeting parents and students. Recognizing her as Miss Georgia, Charlie’s homeroom teacher, Jamie approached her with a smile. Miss Georgia crouched down to Charlie’s level and beamed. “This must be Charlie! He’s so handsome. What a little gentleman!” Charlie, shy as ever, blushed and hid behind Jamie, peeking out to observe his new teacher. Miss Georgia couldn’t help but chuckle at how adorable he was. Jamie smiled apologetically. “He’s a little shy.” “That’s perfectly normal. Kids this age are often like that. Would you like to take a quick tour of the preschool, Miss Lewis?” “No, that’s okay. I need to get to work. I’ll stop by later after I finish for the day.” After giving a few parting instructions to Miss Georgia, Jamie waved goodbye to Charlie and left.
Inside the hotel room, the place was a mess. Nina Walker woke up, her entire body sore and achy. She rubbed her temples, preparing to rise, and glanced at the tall figure lying next to her. His strikingly handsome face boasted sharply defined features and deep-set eyes. He remained sound asleep, showing no signs of waking.Nina sat up, the sheets slipping off, revealing faint marks on her fair, sensual shoulders. She got out of bed, bloodstains clearly visible on the sheets.Glancing at the time, realizing she was almost late for work, she grabbed her scattered professional attire from the floor and changed into it. Her stockings were already torn by him. She balled them up and tossed them into the trash, slipping on her high heels. There was a knock at the door. Nina was already neatly dressed, back in her role as an efficient secretary, holding her purse as she headed out. Entering was a pure-looking beauty. Nina had called her. The type that Nash York liked. Nina said, "You ju
Upon hearing the voice, Nina's face jolted with surprise, nearly stumbling.With her balance faltering, her body leaned towards him. Nash felt her body tilting and reached out to steady her by the waist. The scorching warmth instantly reminded her of the scene from last night when he ravaged her recklessly.Nina composed herself, lifting her head to meet his deep gaze. His eyes were too serious, containing both questioning and doubt, as if trying to see through her with just one look. Nina's heart raced rapidly. She dared not hold his gaze for another second, instinctively lowering her head.When he assumed it was the woman from earlier, he flew into a rage. If he were to discover it was her, her fate wouldn't be any better. Yet, she couldn't accept it. If Nash knew it was her, could their marriage last a little longer? She dared not meet his eyes. "Why would you ask such a thing?" Only she knew she was hoping for it.However, Nash chuckled lightly. "You don't have the courage."
She looked up to see Miranda wearing an apron, holding a ladle. Upon seeing Nina, her smile faltered for a moment, then she warmly greeted, "Are you Sally’s guest? I just made some extra soup. Come in and have a seat." Her demeanor was composed, entirely that of the lady of the house. It was as if Nina was the guest from afar. Indeed, before long, she would become an outsider.Nina frowned, feeling deeply repelled. When she married Nash, Miranda even sent a congratulatory letter. It was impossible for her not to know Nina was Nash's wife. Seeing her standing motionless at the door, Miranda quickly came over and took her hand, "A guest is a guest, don't be shy, come in." As she approached, a faint jasmine scent filled the air, the exact same fragrance of the perfume Nash gave her on her birthday last year. She felt her throat ache, and her breathing became heavy, as if there were a thousand pounds on her feet, making it difficult to move. Sally noticed Nina standing there m
"Nina seems to be in a bad mood today. She didn't want to come to deliver the documents, so I had to come instead," Miranda placed her scalded hand in front of him. "Nash, don't blame Nina. I don't think she did it on purpose. I hope it didn't delay you."It was the first time Nina had done something like this with the company's documents in someone else's hands. Nash's expression was grim, but he restrained himself in front of Miranda. He just adjusted his tie and replied calmly, "It's okay." Changing the subject, he added, "Since you're here, stay for a while."Hearing him say this, Miranda felt a sense of relief. At least he accepted her and didn't dislike her. "Aren't you supposed to have a meeting? Will I disturb you?" Nash made a call, "The meeting is postponed for half an hour." Miranda smiled faintly. Before coming, she had wondered if her departure without notice would make him resentful. It didn't seem as bad as she had imagined. Lost time could be made up for. Sitting
Nina stopped in her tracks, her demeanor devoid of the harmony that would typically exist between them as spouses, instead exuding an air of detachment more akin to that of superior and subordinate: "Mr. York, do you have any further instructions?" Nash turned his head, gazing at Nina's somewhat distant expression, his tone carrying a commanding undertone. "Sit down."Nina suddenly couldn't fathom what he intended to do next.Nash approached.As he drew nearer, Nina watched, sensing a difference in the air, making it feel thin, tense, and peculiar.She remained still, but Nash took the initiative to grasp her hand.The warmth of his palm against hers felt like a burn, and she instinctively tried to pull away. However, Nash held her firmly, not giving her the chance to withdraw, pulling her aside instead, his brows furrowed as he asked, "You've injured your hand. Didn't you notice?"His concern caught Nina off guard. "I... I'm fine," she stammered."Your hand has blistered," Na
After breakfast, Jamie took Charlie to his preschool. It wasn’t far. It was just a ten-minute drive. From a distance, she spotted a teacher with long hair and a scarf standing at the preschool entrance, greeting parents and students. Recognizing her as Miss Georgia, Charlie’s homeroom teacher, Jamie approached her with a smile. Miss Georgia crouched down to Charlie’s level and beamed. “This must be Charlie! He’s so handsome. What a little gentleman!” Charlie, shy as ever, blushed and hid behind Jamie, peeking out to observe his new teacher. Miss Georgia couldn’t help but chuckle at how adorable he was. Jamie smiled apologetically. “He’s a little shy.” “That’s perfectly normal. Kids this age are often like that. Would you like to take a quick tour of the preschool, Miss Lewis?” “No, that’s okay. I need to get to work. I’ll stop by later after I finish for the day.” After giving a few parting instructions to Miss Georgia, Jamie waved goodbye to Charlie and left.
The car skidded to a halt, narrowly avoiding disaster. Before the stunned driver could process what had just happened, a large, out-of-control truck barreled through the intersection ahead. The truck was moving too fast to stop, flipping over and sliding across the road, smashing into several vehicles in its path. The screeching metal and shattering glass filled the air, leaving the driver visibly shaken. Had it not been for Jamie’s timely warning, the consequences could have been catastrophic.Ben frowned and glanced at Jamie, who was pale with fear. He wanted to ask her something but knew now wasn’t the time. “Turn around and take another route,” he instructed the driver. It took a moment for the driver to regain his composure before restarting the car and pulling away. Not long after they left, the scene was surrounded by police vehicles. Traffic on that road came to a standstill as officers began redirecting cars. The drive home was smooth, but this time the driv
Jamie had originally come with the intention of helping Ben in some small way. She hadn’t planned on agreeing to his job offer so quickly, but seeing his exhaustion had changed her mind. That evening, Ben invited her to dinner. Jamie wanted to decline, but Ben cut her off. “Consider it a celebration for your new position. There’s a restaurant I think you’d like. We could pick up Charlie and bring him along.” At the mention of Charlie, Jamie couldn’t find a reason to refuse. Charlie rarely got to go out, and Jamie often felt guilty about that. She always wanted to make it up to him, even in small ways. Ben drove them back to pick up Charlie, who had been at home with the helper. Since the helper hadn’t started dinner yet, Jamie told her there was no need. *When Charlie heard they were going out for dinner, he was thrilled. “Mommy, where are we going? Can we have burgers?” Jamie started to say no, but seeing the excitement in his bright eyes, she changed her answer
Lucas Corporation appeared to be running as smoothly as ever, showing no signs of turmoil despite the recent rumors.Jamie arrived at the reception desk and asked to see Ben. The receptionist raised an eyebrow at the mention of Ben’s name and smiled slightly. “He’s a top-tier lawyer in Birkham now. If you’re looking for him, shouldn’t you be at his law firm rather than here at Lucas Corporation?” “He’s not here? Did he say when he’d be back?” Jamie was momentarily stunned. She had just spoken to him on the phone. Where could he have gone at such a critical time? The receptionist shook her head apologetically. “I’m sorry, I’m not privy to Mr. Lucas’s schedule. If you’d like, you could try calling him directly.” Jamie sighed, unwilling to trouble the receptionist further. She was about to leave when the receptionist called after her. “Wait a moment. Are you Miss Lewis?” Caught off guard, Jamie hesitated. “Yes, I am. Why?” The receptionist looked a bit uncertain, rea
“What kind of job?” Ben asked.“I’m still looking,” Jamie replied.“In that case, why not work for me?” Ben suggested without hesitation. Jamie froze, momentarily stunned by his directness. She was about to refuse when Ben, seemingly predicting her reaction, added, “Don’t be so quick to say no. If you join any other top-tier company, whether as HR or in another role, the pay won’t compare. What I can offer is far better than anything they can.” His words left her silent. If this were a romantic confession, it would undoubtedly be the most alluring kind. Who wouldn’t want a job with great benefits? But working under Ben? That was a mental hurdle Jamie wasn’t sure she could overcome. After a long pause, she said, “Let me think about it.” Ben didn’t press her, giving her three days to decide. By then, Charlie would be starting preschool, leaving her with more time to work. Jamie spent the next few days applying for various jobs, only to face repeated disappointmen
Jamie’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. She rushed over to check on Charlie. “Are you okay? Does it hurt? Let Mommy blow on it.” “It doesn’t hurt. I just accidentally bumped into that lady.” Charlie mumbled, clutching the hem of his shirt awkwardly. Jamie looked up, ready to apologize, but the woman didn’t say anything and simply turned and walked away. Did she look scary or something? “That woman was wearing a mask and didn’t seem trustworthy. Don’t bother,” Ben said with a frown. Hearing that, Jamie decided to let it go. Thankfully, Charlie wasn’t hurt. “You worry too much about Charlie. A small fall like this won’t hurt him,” Ben remarked. “I know. I just can’t change overnight,” Jamie admitted. She understood what Ben was saying. But habits, especially those built on years of fear and caution, weren’t easy to break. They didn’t dwell on the incident, quickly putting it out of their minds as they continued to help Charlie pick out his school su
Jamie couldn’t shake the strange feeling in her heart, like she had been set up somehow. Was it just her imagination? Shaking her head, she walked into the kitchen. Behind her, Charlie immediately stopped wiping his tears and sneaked a glance at her as she busied herself. “Uncle Ben, did I do a good job just now?” Ben smirked. “Perfect.” The little boy and the grown man shared identical mischievous grins. *After lunch, Charlie clung to Ben, refusing to let him go. Jamie wanted to intervene, but Ben glanced at his phone and said, “The meeting was canceled. It’s fine. I have time.” And so, Ben ended up staying, playing with Charlie until evening. By the time the sky darkened, even Jamie felt a bit dazed, realizing she had somehow let Ben stay the entire day without really noticing. When she walked him to the door, Ben handed her a small velvet box. “This is for you.” “What is it?” “Open it and see.” Hesitating, Jamie opened the box, and her breath caugh
Ben stared at the plate of orange slices. Jamie instinctively reached out to take the plate away. “Your Uncle Ben doesn’t eat—” “Thank you, Charlie. I happen to feel like having some oranges,” he interrupted smoothly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Jamie froze for a moment. Wasn’t Ben known for being picky, never touching food that didn’t look perfect? And he rarely ate anything prepared outside his own kitchen. While Jamie stood there, still surprised, Ben casually ate two pieces of the unevenly cut orange slices and even went as far as to compliment Charlie. “You cut these very well.” As Charlie beamed with pride, Jamie could only look at the plate of roughly cut orange slices in disbelief, unable to muster a single word of praise. *A little while later, after sending Charlie off to play in his room, Jamie sat down across from Ben. “You’re here for something, aren’t you?” “You don’t have to treat me so coldly,” Ben replied. “And how sh
“Wilfred?” Nina froze for a moment, then her face lit up with a genuine, radiant smile. Wilfred glanced at Gemma beside her and returned the smile. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.” “Are you here to see Charlie? I noticed the medical kit in your hand.” “No, I came to deliver some medication for Jamie.” Wilfred explained briefly, mentioning that Jamie had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Hearing this, Nina’s face clouded with worry, and she immediately wanted to visit Jamie to check on her. Wilfred reassured her, “Don’t worry. Her condition is much more stable now. While this illness can be serious, it’s not as bad as it sounds. Her sister’s death was a severe blow, combined with other factors, that triggered it.” “That’s a relief,” Nina said, visibly relaxing. They chatted for a bit, and Wilfred’s gaze softened as he asked, “How have you been lately?” “I’m doing well. What about you?” Nina paused, then smiled in return. “The hospital keeps