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
Ben suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief.Mrs. Lucas quietly closed the door behind her and turned to face him. Seeing the turmoil in his expression, she let out a soft sigh. “Don’t hold a grudge against your father anymore. He may have a sharp tongue, but that’s just his way. All those years you insisted on becoming a lawyer, he may have scolded you, but deep down, he was proud of you.”Ben said nothing.To grow up believing that his father didn’t care for him, only to discover one day that his father’s feelings were more complicated and layered. It wasn’t something anyone could accept easily.Without a word, Ben left the estate, skipping dinner. Jamie didn’t push him for an explanation, and when Charlie started asking questions, she gently hushed him.It wasn’t until they were back home, lying together in bed, that she finally voiced the question that had been on her mind since they left the estate. “Are you upset?”Ben was silent for a long time before finally sp
That day, Ben didn’t go to the office. Instead, he urged Jamie, “It’s about time. Let’s go.”Jamie, carrying Charlie, hurried out. “Coming, coming.”Seeing her glowing appearance, Ben smiled and teased, “You’re looking more beautiful every day.”Jamie rolled her eyes playfully. “I didn’t know you could be so smooth-talking.”Ben chuckled. “Is telling the truth considered smooth-talking? Or are you just afraid to face how stunning you really are?”Jamie sighed, exasperated but amused. “Alright, enough. Let’s get going.”Ben started heading to the car but paused, giving himself a once-over. Shaking his head, he said, “No, this outfit doesn’t match yours. We don’t look like a couple.”“You’re seriously going to change?” Jamie raised an eyebrow.“Of course. Help me pick something,” he said with a grin.Unable to argue with him, Jamie followed him back upstairs. After rummaging through his wardrobe, they chose an outfit that complemented hers perfectly. Satisfied, Ben admired himse
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
Jamie and Ben didn’t care about anyone else’s opinions.“You really think you and Ben can last?” The woman’s tone dripped with disdain. “Don’t forget, your statuses are worlds apart. If Ben didn’t care, why would he keep bringing you to events like these? Clearly, he does care.”Jamie noticed the woman’s provocative glare. Her elegance and poise were unmistakable, but her words revealed a heart filled with malice.With a calm but cutting tone, Jamie responded, “Even if Ben does care, that’s his business, not yours. And let’s be honest, you’d never have the courage to say this in front of him, would you? So, what’s the point of saying it to me?”Jamie didn’t even bother to take the woman seriously. Her relationship with Ben was her own, and she knew better than anyone how much he valued her.The woman sneered. “Oh, trust me, I’d say it to his face. But I assumed you had some self-awareness. Clearly, I was mistaken. You’re pathetic, Jamie.”With that, she spun on her heels and walk
“I was with Nash and the others today,” Ben said as he leaned back into the couch. “Jamie, tomorrow I want to take you to an exclusive high-society gala. If there’s anything you want or need for the occasion, just let me know.”For Jamie, the idea of attending such events held little appeal. What truly mattered to her was simply being by Ben’s side. Yet, Ben seemed determined to introduce her to this world, using his connections and influence to elevate her standing and help her thrive.But Jamie’s heart leaned toward a simpler life, one focused on family and the small joys within their home.“You’ve already given me everything I could ever want—friends, a safe life, love. I don’t feel drawn to these events. Can I skip this one?” she asked gently. Spending time with Charlie and bringing him over to play with Orion sounded like a better plan.Ben’s gaze softened. “If you really don’t want to go, I’ll respect your choice. But skipping out might not look great. There will be more occa