Ben’s tone was as cold as ice. “I believe I’ve made myself very clear.”Unwilling to let the opportunity slip away, Summer reached out, clawing at both his shirt and her own in a desperate attempt to stage the scene. But she was no match for Ben. He shoved her onto the sofa and strode to the door. When he opened it, the police were already outside, along with a group of reporters who were evidently prearranged.“This woman broke into my room,” Ben stated with absolute indifference. “She also had my room key card, and the wine brought to me by the hotel staff was tampered with. Please test it and handle this matter according to the law.”The police, taken aback by the situation, reviewed the surveillance footage. The evidence aligned with Ben’s account that he hadn’t done anything wrong.The reporters watched the entire scene unfold. Ben’s sharp gaze swept over them, his voice cutting. “Let me guess. You already had your headline prepared. Something like, ‘Renowned Lawyer Meets Se
Ben gazed at Jamie, his voice soft. “There’s one more thing I want to give you.”“What is it?” Jamie asked, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.Ben pulled out a small box and opened it. Inside was a ring.Jamie froze, her eyes wide with surprise. “Are we putting it on now? Isn’t that supposed to wait until tomorrow?”“I want you to try it on first,” Ben explained. “This is a ring I prepared a long time ago, back when you weren’t by my side. Without your exact size, I could only guess and hope it fits.”Hearing this, Jamie’s heart melted. She understood what he meant by “when you weren’t by my side”—he was referring to the time she had left him. She had thought their separation back then was final, that their paths would never cross again. She never imagined that during those days, he had quietly prepared a ring for her.The thought made her unable to refuse him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she extended her hand, her voice trembling slightly. “Then will you help me put it on?
Jamie lifted her eyes to meet Ben’s and understood that this was his way of giving her strength. Following his lead, she climbed into the car amidst the cheerful sound of celebratory confetti poppers, her cheeks still flushed with shyness. Nina quickly slipped into the bridesmaid car right behind hers.The long procession of luxury cars moved in perfect sync, turning heads wherever they went. Sleek, high-end vehicles worth millions of dollars captured everyone's attention as they cruised through the city streets.Passersby couldn’t resist snapping photos and sharing their amazement online.“Who’s getting married with such extravagance? Look at all those luxury cars!” one post read.Within moments, the scene went viral, and social media buzzed with speculation. Soon, the mystery was solved.It wasn’t just anyone’s wedding, but that of Ben Lucas, the CEO of Lucas Corporation, a man with even more prominence than any socialite or trust fund heir.Insiders quickly chimed in, reveal
Jamie had no other answer but to agree. Ben slipped the silver ring onto her finger, its snug fit making it feel as though it was meant to be there, encircling her finger securely. She then took his matching ring and placed it on his finger. It was only then that Jamie noticed a subtle difference between their rings. The letters engraved on hers were raised, smooth to the touch. But on Ben’s, the letters were etched into the inner band, pressing against the skin. It wouldn’t cause pain, but it was surely uncomfortable.Jamie paused briefly, staring at the ring with a trace of astonishment. Ben noticed and extended his hand for her to pull him up. The gesture served as a gentle nudge to snap her out of her thoughts.“Sorry, I zoned out for a moment,” Jamie whispered apologetically as she leaned closer to him.Ben, his arm now linked with hers, led her toward their guests to make toasts. “I noticed,” he murmured quietly. It was why he’d reminded her. Luckily, the brief moment
The thought that Winnie might be watching her at this very moment helped Jamie compose herself. She quickly found her stride, greeting familiar faces with ease.Nina, watching Jamie and Ben alternate sipping drinks, suddenly had an idea. “How about you two do a toast with your arms linked? It’s way more romantic and fun. What do you all think?”Orion, his mouth full of food, was the first to raise his hand in agreement. “Yes!”Jamie gave them a helpless look. “Orion, you’ve been totally corrupted by your mom.”Nina, wiping Orion’s mouth, raised an eyebrow. “Corrupted? I’m just making your wedding more entertaining.”In the end, Jamie relented. She turned to Ben and picked up one of the glasses. “I’ll drink this one,” she offered.Up until now, Ben had been doing most of the drinking, knowing Jamie wasn’t great with alcohol. He picked up the other glass and nodded.Orion watched them curiously, wide-eyed. Nina quickly covered Orion’s eyes. “No peeking. This is for grown-ups.”
Jamie had to fight back her tears as she gazed at her long-lost sister. It didn’t take long for her to notice that Winnie’s face wasn’t the same as before. Her eyes trembled as she gripped her sister’s hands tightly. “What happened to your face? Was it from the fire? Does it hurt?”Winnie touched her face and lowered her gaze. In truth, she didn’t care much about her appearance anymore. A different face was a small price to pay for her life. Surviving had been a blessing in itself.But for someone who had always thought this way, hearing Jamie’s concern broke through her defenses. Winnie’s eyes reddened for a brief moment. “It hurts, Jamie. It hurts so much.”She had never felt pain like this before. The fire had been agonizing. The weeks spent motionless in bed had been unbearable. And being controlled, drugged, and beaten by that man had hurt the most.As Winnie spoke, her voice grew smaller, filled with pain. “It hurt so much, Jamie. There were so many times I just wanted to
The next morning, Charlie kept staring at Jamie, making her feel a little self-conscious. Thinking he might have noticed something unusual, she asked, “Why are you staring at Mommy? Eat your breakfast, or you’ll be late.”Charlie, nibbling on a bun, blinked innocently and mumbled with his mouth full, “I heard from my friends at preschool that when Mommy and Daddy love each other, a new baby brother or sister comes soon. Mommy, am I going to have a sister?”Jamie nearly choked on her coffee. She pounded her chest a few times before regaining her breath and glared at Charlie, whose face was full of curiosity. “What nonsense are you talking about? Eat your breakfast.”“Oh,” Charlie said, pouting. He decided Mommy was just shy.Jamie had no idea what was running through his little head. If she did, she definitely wouldn’t let it go so easily.*After dropping Charlie off at preschool, Jamie drove to work like usual. When she walked into the office, the stares she received almost st
Jamie froze for a moment, realizing it wasn’t a reprimand or her needing to apologize for something she had messed up. “Well, why didn’t he just say so earlier?” she silently remarked.She instantly relaxed and pulled out her phone, scrolling briefly before landing on a suggestion. “How about this place?”Ben nodded. “That works. Also, pick Charlie up from preschool on the way. He doesn’t need to stay the whole day. We’ll take him with us after lunch to visit the family home.”Jamie didn’t ask why they would be heading there, but the look on Ben’s face said enough. She had a hunch. Very few people could make Ben wear that expression, and the only one who came to mind was his father. This visit must have something to do with him.*After lunch, they headed to the Lucas family estate. Although Charlie had visited before, this was his first time going with Jamie, and he was bursting with excitement. He fidgeted nonstop in the car, leaning this way and that.Jamie finally reached
“Why don’t you stay home and take care of Charlie? With you watching over him, I’d feel completely at ease. Besides, I’m earning enough money now. You don’t need to worry. I can more than provide for the both of you,” Ben said, his tone gentle but firm.The Lucas Corporation was massive, and Ben’s past work as a lawyer brought in astronomical fees, starting in the millions. Financial security was never a concern for their family.Jamie shook her head. “The work I’ve done before was all over the place, but didn’t you support me in doing it? What’s this sudden change, Ben? You’re switching sides faster than flipping a page!”Her decision to return to studying law had been encouraged by Ben himself. But now, hearing him say this, it felt like he was wavering, as though he wanted her to stay at home. Stay at home and do what? Take care of the child? To Jamie, this was an opportunity she couldn’t let slip away. It was her chance to prove herself. “That’s not what I meant,” Be
Lila visited Summer, whose condition had visibly deteriorated. “Looking at you now, do you regret any of it?” Lila asked. If Summer hadn’t been so fixated on Ben, she wouldn’t have ended up this way, consumed by obsession. Summer gave a bitter smile. “With so many twists and turns in life, who even has the right to speak of regret?” She reached out and held Lila’s hand tightly. “Lila, let my experience be a lesson to you. Make sure you see things clearly and never do anything foolish for someone who doesn’t love you.” It was sound advice, and Lila couldn’t help but feel indignant on Summer’s behalf. But her indignation was meaningless. Back then, all she had wanted was to make things difficult for Jamie. In the end, it had backfired, leaving her worse off. “I’m sorry, Summer,” Lila said remorsefully. “I couldn’t even help you get justice. I still carry that guilt.” “You don’t owe me an apology,” Summer replied gently. “You came to see me and cared enough to thin
Jamie sighed, knowing Ben was trying to comfort her. Though she still felt a little wistful, she quickly let it go.What she didn’t expect was that the boys’ whispered conversation would continue from the car all the way to the dinner table. Even while eating, they huddled together, making it clear no one else was welcome to join their secretive chat. Noticing how little food they had touched, Jamie tapped the table with a hint of exasperation. “Alright, you two. Mealtime is for eating, not whispering. Didn’t your teachers teach you that at school?” Charlie immediately recognized that Jamie wasn’t joking this time. She was genuinely a little upset. He quickly straightened up, putting on his most obedient expression as he picked up his utensils. “Got it, Mommy. I’ll eat properly now.” Jamie then turned her gaze to Orion, who, sensing her sternness, also sat upright and promised to focus on his food. With both boys settled and eating obediently, Jamie felt satisfied and
Ben glanced down at Jamie’s hand tightly holding his own. A faint smile flickered in his eyes, but the somber look on his face didn’t fade completely. Jamie noticed and assumed he was still upset. Unsure how to console him, she simply kept holding his hand, refusing to let go. That was precisely what Ben had intended. “It’s about time to pick up Charlie, isn’t it?” Jamie finally finished reading the case file, stretching as she glanced at the clock. It was already 4:00 PM. Preschool ended at 4:30, so if they left now, they would arrive just in time. Ben had already grabbed the car keys. “Yeah, let’s go.” Fortunately, traffic wasn’t bad, and they arrived at the preschool quickly. Jamie was scrolling through her phone when she suddenly said, “Nina messaged me. She’s busy today and can’t pick up Orion. She asked if we could swing by and get him.” They exchanged a look. Ben didn’t seem fazed. Picking up one more child didn’t make a difference to him. Jamie, ho
Most of the people nearby didn’t know what had happened. They simply listened to the man’s loud retorts and, judging by his confidence, began to cast skeptical glances at Jamie.“She looks so young. Why is she acting paranoid? How ridiculous.”“I don’t think it’s paranoia, it’s overconfidence. They say too much confidence is a sickness, and she clearly needs treatment.”“Oh, come on. I think she’s actually really pretty. Why are you all so hostile toward her? Honestly, the guy could’ve been snooping like she said. She did mention it was about her documents.”Hearing at least one voice defending her warmed Jamie’s heart. She turned and gave a smile to the young woman who had spoken up.The young woman froze for a moment, her face unexpectedly turning red. Embarrassed, she quickly looked down, pretending to sip her milk tea.Jamie didn’t linger on the moment. She refocused her attention on the man, her tone calm but firm. “I never said you were staring at me. You were clearly tryin
The girl's death was caused by her being forced to run laps despite being on her period. She had requested to be excused, but the teacher denied her request. Left with no choice, she pushed through, only to suffer a severe hemorrhage. She wasn’t treated in time and tragically passed away.The school defended itself, claiming the blame didn’t rest solely on them. They argued the girl and her family bore significant responsibility. After all, they reasoned, no one else had any issues during the drills. Why was it only her?Jamie’s frustration boiled over as she read through the case materials. “A school this shameless actually exists!”Ben tried to calm her. “Take it easy.”She took a deep breath, then sighed after a long pause. “You’re right. There are too many cases like this.”The idea of valuing a life at a mere $5,000 sounded absurd, but it wasn’t uncommon in reality. Examples of such injustices were everywhere, stemming from the lack of clear legal protections.“And that’s no
“Whose legal documents are these?” one of the investigators asked.“They’re mine,” Jamie replied. “I’ve been using them to prepare for a competition.”After she explained the situation, the investigator handed the documents back to her and issued a warning, emphasizing that such legal materials should not be present within the company. With that, they left.The man, clearly stunned, called after them, his voice rising with disbelief. “Did you even check properly? He’s a lawyer! How can a lawyer run a company as its president? Isn’t that against the rules?” The officials followed the direction of his finger and turned to look at Ben. Their expressions shifted into something between amusement and confusion, as though the man had asked an absurd question. “His law license was revoked a long time ago,” one of them stated plainly. The man froze, then shouted in denial, “That’s impossible!” “Why would it be impossible?” The official frowned, his tone growing stern. “When his l
Ben wouldn’t let Jamie fight his battles for him.He pulled her behind him, shielding her, and addressed the crowd with a cold expression. “If that’s the case, let’s have the authorities investigate.”Jamie stared at him, stunned.She understood the saying, “A clear conscience fears no accusation.” As long as Ben had nothing to hide, there was no reason to be afraid. But these people weren’t here for the truth, they were looking for trouble. It was likely orchestrated by their defeated opponents, timed to create chaos. Even if nothing incriminating was found, the media would seize the opportunity to smear them.Ben was doing this for her, disregarding himself completely.She was touched, but also anxious. She wanted to pull him back.However, Ben wasn’t budging this time. His warm but firm hand enveloped hers, silently telling her not to stop him.“What’s the matter? Afraid?” Ben asked, his hands casually in his pockets, raising an eyebrow with a hint of defiance.The loudest
“There’s a surveillance camera overhead, just so you know,” Ben said coldly, his gaze sharp as a blade. “I get it that you’re here to stick up for Summer. But let me be clear: whatever happened between the Lucas family and the Larson family is none of your business.”He held up the empty glass, his tone unwavering. “That drink was a warning. Don’t even think about testing my limits.”Jamie was his limit—his bottom line. He wouldn’t allow anyone to harm or disrespect her.Lila’s voice rang out, dripping with mockery as she addressed the gathering crowd. “Did everyone hear that? He’s threatening me with a drink as a ‘warning.’ Anyone here would agree this behavior is out of line. And all because I said a few words?“Ben Lucas, someone like you will get what’s coming to you!” Lila snapped, her voice sharp and bitter. “Doesn’t anyone wonder why someone who was doing so well as a lawyer suddenly gave it all up to become a CEO? Doesn’t everyone know lawyers aren’t supposed to engage in b