Ben’s expression seemed off. Jamie paused subtly, her gaze shifting toward his phone. “What is it? Is it something about the old district?” “No,” Ben replied, setting the phone down quickly to keep her from seeing the screen. After that, he refused to discuss it further. Jamie resisted the urge to press him in front of Charlie, opting to hold her questions until later. Once Charlie had wandered off to play, she seized the moment. “You didn’t seem yourself earlier during dinner. If it’s work-related and there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know,” she offered. After all, she was his secretary now, and it was only natural for her to assist. Jamie brushed aside the faint unease tugging at her and convinced herself it was nothing. But Ben didn’t seem inclined to talk. Rubbing his temples, he stood up. “I’ve stayed long enough. I should head out.” When Jamie moved to see him off, he stopped her. Watching him leave, Jamie didn’t feel the relief she expecte
“I’m going back to the Lucas family home today.” “It might be a misunderstanding. It doesn’t necessarily mean it was your father,” Jamie said cautiously. Ben interrupted her, his expression unnervingly calm. It was the kind of calm that felt dangerous. Jamie could sense a storm brewing, but she didn’t know how to comfort him. In situations like this, no words ever felt right. Fortunately, Ben seemed to notice her unease. His voice softened, just barely, as he said, “So, you’ll need to tell Charlie that I won’t be able to see him for a while.” “I’ll go with you,” Jamie blurted out, surprising even herself. But in the next moment, her resolve solidified. “Charlie can be picked up by the nanny, or we can bring him home first and go afterward. Either way, I’m going with you,” she said firmly. “This is different from last time.” “Exactly. That’s why I need to go with you.” Ben stared at her for a long moment before sighing. Finally, he gave in. *That after
Ben didn’t back down. Instead, he lifted his gaze and said coldly, “Wasn’t it you? Or are you saying you did it but don’t even have the courage to admit it?” Seeing how enraged his father was, Ben’s face remained calm, though his heart was heavy. When he first uncovered the truth, he could hardly believe it. Though their father-son relationship had always been distant, Ben had assumed that, as family, his father wouldn’t stoop to such underhanded tactics. Yet this incident slapped him in the face with harsh reality. It told him he was wrong. “You—” His father was so furious he started coughing violently. Ben’s mother, caught between the two, looked panicked. She hurried to comfort her husband while trying to get Ben to stop. “Don’t say any more. Your father has high blood pressure. He’ll make himself ill.” Jamie noticed Ben’s fists clenching tightly. Without thinking, she reached out and placed her hand over his, a silent gesture of reassurance. The tension in Ben’
Jamie turned her head sharply, stunned by what she had just heard. The look in Ben’s eyes was more serious than she had ever seen before. His words weren’t casual. They came from the depths of his heart, and anyone could tell they were genuine. Mrs. Lucas watched the scene unfold, her emotions a mix of complexity and relief. A few years ago, she never would have imagined that someone she once dismissed could not only gain Ben’s acceptance but also hers. It was clear now that Jamie was not just anyone. She was important to her son. But not everyone shared their sentiment. Mr. Lucas frowned as his critical gaze swept over Jamie. He turned to Ben, his tone full of disapproval. “So, this is the reason you’ve rejected all those other women? What’s so great about her? Her family background doesn’t match yours, and her career is nothing special.” Ben’s eyes narrowed. “Have you planted someone in the company to keep tabs on me?” Otherwise, there was no way his semi-retired
Jamie had a habit of waking up in the middle of the night. When she stepped into the dimly lit living room, the faint silhouette of someone startled her. She froze for a moment before realizing it was Ben. “Ben, why are you sitting here instead of sleeping?” Ben let out a low grunt, his voice so faint she thought she had imagined it. As Jamie approached, the sheen of sweat on his forehead and his unusually pale face came into view. “Are you feeling unwell?” she asked, her tone laced with concern. “Could you get me some antacid?” Ben replied, his voice carrying a subtle weakness that was uncharacteristic for him. It clicked. Ben had always struggled with stomach issues. His workaholic lifestyle often made it worse. Her worry spiked. She paced the living room, trying to recall where she might have stored some medicine. “Wait here. I think I have some in my room.” She hurried back, returning moments later with the medication and a cup of warm water. Ben took the me
He must have been utterly heartbroken.“Alright, I’ll stay with you,” Jamie relented, her heart softening.It was just staying with a sick person for one night. If Ben didn’t get better, he probably wouldn’t be able to make it to the office the next day anyway.Hearing her agreement, Ben’s grip on her hand loosened slightly. Jamie kept her word, settling on the sofa beside him and draping a blanket over herself. Through the quiet night, Ben’s hand never let go of hers. By the time dawn broke, they were still holding on to each other, as if that touch alone could ward off the pain and keep the world at bay. *The next morning, Jamie was woken by the sound of movement.She opened her eyes to find herself still lying on the sofa. Instinctively, she glanced to her side, but the spot was already empty.The helper entered with breakfast.“Do you know where the man who was here went?” Jamie asked.The helper, who had likely arrived early, looked slightly startled. “He left ea
Wilfred's gaze turned meaningful. "This friend of yours, he wouldn’t happen to be named Ben Lucas and work as a lawyer, would he?"Jamie averted her eyes, feeling caught. It was awkward to have him guess correctly, but thankfully, Wilfred didn’t press further. He simply gave her the advice she needed and added a warning. “Tell Ben to tone down his workaholic tendencies. If he keeps pushing like this, even the best doctors won’t be able to save him.” After parting ways with Wilfred, Jamie headed to the hospital room. The patient, Mrs. Lopez, was sixty-five years old. At her age, suffering from heart disease was highly dangerous. One wrong move could lead to a heart attack, which was why Lucas Corporation had gone to great lengths to ensure her care. They had arranged for the best room and covered her medical expenses. Given these efforts, Jamie couldn’t help but feel that the man causing such chaos earlier was unbelievably ungrateful. “I’m here to see Mrs. Lopez. Has
Jamie reluctantly suppressed her thoughts and focused on resolving immediate concerns. Her first priority was arranging a caregiver for Mrs. Lopez at the hospital. After ensuring Mrs. Lopez would be well cared for, she turned her attention to the police station.The instigator of the old district riot, Daniel Lopez, was still in custody, serving a one-month sentence.Back at the company, Jamie sought out Ben. Before he could say a word, she launched into her thoughts. “I believe Daniel is being manipulated by someone behind the scenes.” Daniel, the ringleader, had incited most of the others to cause trouble. Ben raised an eyebrow but remained silent. It was obvious he shared the same suspicion. The sequence of events seemed far too deliberate. The dissatisfaction of the holdouts, Mrs. Lopez’s sudden illness, and the escalation of the conflict all felt perfectly orchestrated. It was as if everything was being guided by an unseen hand.Jamie succinctly relayed what she had
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