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
She saw stars, feeling dizzy all over, only hearing someone urgently saying, "What's going on with you guys? How could such a mistake happen! Nina, Nina..."As the voice faded into the distance, Nina passed out.When she woke up again, Nina was in the hospital, staring at the white ceiling, still feeling woozy and with a severe headache."Nina, you're awake!" Taylor, with red eyes, sat up from the chair, anxiously inquiring about her condition. "Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? Should I call the doctor?"Looking at her, despite still feeling very weak, Nina subconsciously sat up. "I'm fine. What about the construction site? Are there any other injuries?"Taylor said, "You don't need to worry about the construction site right now. You've got a concussion. You scared me to death. I thought you wouldn't wake up."With that, she started crying again.Taylor was Nina's assistant who always accompanied her. Nina had always taken care of her. She was young and had never encounte
After spending some time at the hospital, she left disheartened with injuries."Nina!"When Nina's best friend, Yvonne Turner, saw Nina’s pale face and the wound on her head, she quickly caught her. "Oh my, where did you get hurt?"Nina remained silent."You were at work during this time, so this must be a work injury," Yvonne said. "Where’s Nash?""I don't know."Yvonne noticed that her expression wasn't good, and it wasn't just about the injury. She sneered, "You've worked diligently for him, injured your head like this, and yet he, as your husband, can't even be found. This husband of yours is as good as dead.""It won't be for much longer.""What? He wants to divorce you?" Yvonne's expression changed."I want to divorce him."Yvonne's attitude changed again. "Then divorce him, right away!" Then she warned her, "Remember to split the property in half. Smart women know that the first step is to get the money. If you have money, you won't be afraid of not finding a good man.
Nina understood his seriousness about work. He wouldn't tolerate even the slightest mistake. But this matter couldn't be blamed on her; he was with Miranda last night at the hospital."You said you were busy and hung up," replied Nina.Nash was silent for a second before pursing his lips. "How did you handle it?" At that time, Nina was already at the hospital, she explained, "There wasn't time to handle it then, I...""Secretary Nina," he said coolly, deliberately using her title rather than acknowledging her as his wife. "I recall your work never having such errors."He emphasized "Secretary Nina," reminding her of her role as his secretary, not his spouse. Nina bit her lip, finding it hard to speak. "Work can still proceed at the construction site; the problem isn't significant, in my opinion.""When problems arise, don't rush to make excuses for yourself. This is something I taught you before," he distanced himself. "Come to the office immediately!"With that, he hung up dec
Vera hadn’t expected Caleb to sober up so quickly, but as soon as she spoke, the haze of alcohol vanished from his eyes. “Luna had just undergone surgery, and now she was out drinking? Was she trying to kill herself?” Caleb thought to himself. Seeing the shift in Caleb’s expression, Vera repeated Luna’s exact words. But Caleb didn’t say a single thing in response. Without hesitation, he stood up and stormed out of the room. Watching his retreating figure, Vera knew that Luna still held an irreplaceable place in Caleb’s heart. Caleb quickly tracked down the private room where Luna was. Tonight, she had an important business deal to finalize. She had to be there in person. But knowing she couldn't drink, she had only filled her glass with warm water. The business partners didn’t mind. In fact, they respected her even more—showing up to negotiate a deal despite recovering from surgery was a testament to her dedication. What they hadn’t expected, however, was for Cale
“This works for me.” Ben had no objections. The problem was that Jamie and Lydia were busy, and Nina, noticing that Caleb was the only one who had brought a girlfriend, decided not to go. Vera felt a little out of place being the only woman in a group of powerful men. But considering that these people had the power to revive Mason Corporation, she was willing to push through the discomfort. She hadn’t expected, however, that a quick trip to the restroom would lead her to an encounter with Luna. Luna, who had just undergone an appendectomy, should have been resting in a hospital bed—yet here she was. Their eyes met, and for the first time, Luna took a good look at Vera, scrutinizing her carefully. Vera wasn’t as beautiful as Luna, and Luna had already looked into her background. Mason Corporation had gone bankrupt, yet somehow, Vera had managed to end up by Caleb’s side. There was no way this was a coincidence. “Did Caleb make a deal with you?” Luna asked blun
Caleb firmly believed that if someone didn’t want to be controlled by others, they had to have their own strength and confidence. “Thank you…” Vera lowered her head and murmured. Caleb simply responded, “Instead of saying polite words, why don’t you focus on taking action?” Vera fell silent. When Caleb made a promise, he followed through. If he hosted a gathering, even the most powerful figures in the business world had to give him face. After all, he was always busy—having him arrange a meet-up was a rare occasion. Vera followed beside him, greeting each guest as they arrived. The first to tease them was Hunter. “It hasn’t even been that long, and you two are already official? No wonder you didn’t want to let this pretty lady go back then. Keeping her for yourself, huh?” He leaned forward with a smirk. “Come on, introduce her to us.” At first, Vera had also believed the rumors about Hunter and Caleb being involved, but after spending time around Caleb, she real
When Caleb worked for his success, he was the highly sought-after Dr. Smith, with patients lining up to see him.But when he leaned on his family's wealth, he was the wealthy heir of the Smith family, a man born into privilege. With his status and connections, he never had to struggle for anything. If he wanted something, all he had to do was ask. “You’re right, I can’t say I need your help with anything…” Vera replied. “But you never know—I might need something from you one day. Let’s just leave it at that.” Caleb cut her off, his tone calm and indifferent.However, Caleb’s father, Mr. Smith, remained skeptical about the whole situation. He approached Vera directly. “Did Caleb really agree to this?” Just days ago, Caleb had been adamantly against it, yet now, after less than 48 hours, he had supposedly changed his mind. “Uncle Smith, Caleb only accepted me because I put myself in front of him,” Vera admitted honestly. “He doesn’t want to see me struggling, and more
If his son were in the same situation, Caleb figured he would probably do what his father was doing now. Forget it. “Fine,” he said at last. “You can stall my father for now. But let me be clear—whatever money you take from him, you’ll have to pay back later.” He had no intention of having a child with Vera. Vera readily agreed. “Alright. As long as I can clear my family’s debt, I’ll do whatever you ask.” “First, put your clothes back on.” Caleb had encountered countless situations as a doctor. He had performed surgeries on both men and women without a second thought. But this was different. Vera wasn’t his patient. Vera had already braced herself for the worst. Now that Caleb had set the terms, she quickly put her clothes back on. But even after dressing, she remained on her knees. Caleb hadn’t heard any movement, and since he didn’t want to turn around prematurely, he was caught off guard when Vera spoke. “I’m dressed.” Only then did he turn to look at h
Caleb had acted out of kindness, offering Vera a place to stay for the night since she had nowhere else to go. He had assumed that after their conversation, she would let go of her ridiculous plan. He truly never expected that Vera would see him as her last lifeline. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. “Vera, I finally understand why no one is willing to help the Mason family. There’s not a single decent person among you!” Vera had anticipated Caleb’s anger, but she never thought he would lash out like this, dragging her entire family into it. Say what he wanted about her—but how could he insult her family? Frustration flared in her eyes. “I know what I’m doing is wrong. But I have no other choice. Caleb, you don’t have to take your anger out on my family.” “If your family was so ‘good,’ then why did they leave you with mountains of debt? Why is your brother missing?” Caleb snapped, his voice sharp. He hadn’t wanted to throw those words at her, b
Caleb’s voice was low, but there was a hint of bitterness tugging at the corners of his mouth. He never thought he would be speaking to Luna in such a tone. It didn’t feel good. “Caleb, I’ve never trampled on your feelings,” Luna said, her voice hoarse and her gaze tinged with sorrow. “I never once accepted your proposals. If I were you, I wouldn’t have proposed a second time. I would’ve kept my distance. I’ve always seen you as a friend, but look at the things you’ve done and the words you’ve said. I’m not obligated to say yes to you, yet you bring someone else into this just to put on some sort of show?” Her voice cracked, and the pain in her eyes was unmistakable. Caleb’s smirk deepened, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “You’re right. You’re not obligated to accept me. But have you ever thought about this? When you call for me, I’m not obligated to come running, either. And as for your accusation—I’m not ‘putting on a show’ with anyone. The girl who came here with me
Caleb stayed by the operating room until Luna’s surgery was completed successfully. After that, he remained at her bedside, not leaving for a moment, until she finally regained consciousness hours later. When Luna opened her eyes, disoriented, she murmured, “Am I… dead?” The sharp smell of disinfectant made her dizzy, and the unfamiliar surroundings only heightened her anxiety. “This is the hospital,” Caleb said softly. “You had appendicitis, and surgery was necessary.” Hearing Caleb’s voice, Luna finally relaxed. She wasn’t dead. But the thought of Caleb sitting by her bedside brought other concerns to mind. Were they alone? Was anyone else around? After all, Caleb had brought another woman when he came to find her earlier. Luna glanced around the room, her searching gaze caught immediately by Caleb. “Don’t bother looking,” he said coolly. “It’s just me here. I arranged for a VIP room for your recovery.” Only then did Luna let out a long breath of relief. She
“My father’s interest is just a passing phase,” Caleb said calmly. “Once he realizes there’s no outcome, he’ll naturally let it go. I’ve been in love with someone who didn’t love me back—it was exhausting. So why would I willingly enter a marriage with someone I don’t even have feelings for?”Caleb didn’t want a marriage without love, and he certainly didn’t want the worst-case scenario—a child born into such a situation. Even though Vera had suggested signing an agreement where the child would stay with him, Caleb couldn’t bring himself to agree. How could a child grow up happy without a mother’s love? And what would he do when the child inevitably started asking for their mom? He couldn’t bear the thought of the child calling someone else “mom.” And if he stayed with Vera just for the child, wouldn’t that create a miserable, loveless relationship for both of them? It was better to draw a clear line from the beginning. Vera hadn’t expected Caleb to be so straightforward a