The lady boss of the nightclub called.They had not been in touch for a long time, and Linda wanted to share the good news with her.After answering the phone, she happily said, "Hey, Boss, I'm doing great now. The child is healthy, we're living in a big house, and we have people taking care of us. Especially the child's dad's mother really likes me. I'm sure I'll be better and better in the future."But the lady boss sounded anxious on the other end: "Linda, I called to tell you that something has happened. The police came asking about you. Did you do something wrong?"Hearing this, Linda's face changed drastically: "The police are really looking for me?""Yes, they're asking about you. I don't know what's going on..."Before the conversation could finish, Linda hung up the phone.Everyone knew she lived at the York residence. The police would soon come here.She could not let them catch her, so she had to leave. She rushed out in a hurry, unable to say where she was going, an
The inherent aura of a young lady from a well-to-do family. Such nobility was unattainable by others. She envied them, those born as winners. Even though she had a pretty face, she could only work as a hostess in a nightclub. Looking at herself in the mirror, Miranda's lips curved slightly as she asked, neither cold nor indifferent, "What are you here for?""Save me, the police are after me," Linda said, still filled with fear. Terrified at the sound of police sirens, she knew only Miranda could save her."Ruby, step out first. I need to talk to her alone," Miranda instructed her assistant."Okay," the assistant replied and left the room. Now, it was just the two of them and a pile of dress samples. There was also a balcony nearby. Linda sat on a chair by the balcony, with a coffee table beside her, holding a cup of warm tea to warm her hands, speaking anxiously, "I have nowhere to turn now. The police will definitely catch me. I don't want to go to jail. I don't want..."Miran
Linda saw her gaze, completely different from the warmth when they first met. Her face changed drastically. "You're using me!"You deliberately said those things to me, deliberately made me do it, and then you washed your hands of it. The wicked one is you," Linda accused. Miranda deliberately befriended her, bought baby clothes for her, and then said those things to her to make her eliminate her troubles. Miranda wasn't really kind to her. She was pushing her into the abyss. If she got rid of Nina, and she went to jail, Miranda would be worry-free."You're such a good actress!" Linda exclaimed in agitation. "You pretended to like me so much, pretended to be good to me, pretended to be kind, pretended to be generous."Miranda calmly sipped her tea, these words of accusation were just praise to her. "Now you still want to harm my child," Linda said, clutching her stomach, shaking her head. "You can't tolerate my child with Nash. You're such a wicked woman!"She looked around. "N
Even in death, these obsessions lingered. She thought she could rise to power through the child. With a child, she would have security. Motherhood would ensure her status. But it was all just a fleeting dream.After saying these words, Linda stopped breathing, her eyes wide open, refusing to close. She died with her eyes open. When the police came down again, Linda was already dead. They cordoned off the area. Miranda was escorted down by the police. Her hair was disheveled, her face pale, covered in blood. Tears were still swirling in her eyes and she looked terrified with her hands trembling uncontrollably. The police tried to comfort her, telling her not to be afraid.Tears slowly streamed down Miranda's face with her expression filled with fear. As her assistant arrived, she hugged her and cried bitterly.When Nina, who had heard the news, rushed over, she was shocked to find it already over. All she saw was a corpse. In that moment, she was stunned. How could Linda have died
The culprit who killed Xander was gone. There was no need to investigate further or gather evidence. It all came to an end."Miss Lewis, your statement has been recorded. Please go and attend to your injuries," the police advised.The assistant chimed in, "Miranda, you're just too kind. You're injured, yet you insist on coming to the police station before going to the hospital."Miranda's eyes were red, her face worn out. "Let's not talk about it anymore. It's taken care of. Let's go to the hospital now."The assistant helped Miranda walk, who was very weak but still pushing through.They coincidentally ran into Nina.Miranda glanced at Nina and remarked, "What a coincidence, bumping into you at the police station."Nina carefully observed Miranda's injured palm and bloodied clothes. "Coincidences are rare, aren't they? Someone fell to their death, and it was from your place."Miranda paused for a moment, feigning ignorance. "You mean that girl?"She stood calmly and continued
"Quincy, hurry and take her to the hospital!" "Yes, Mr. York." Upon receiving the order, Quincy immediately complied.Miranda looked at Nash. "Aren't you coming with me?""I still have some things to take care of here. I'll come see you after I'm done," Nash replied.Knowing he would still come to see her, Miranda felt relieved. "Alright, I'll wait for you. I'll go to the hospital first."With that said, she glanced at Nina once more.Nina remained silent. Nash had always been attentive to Miranda, and now that she was seriously injured, wouldn’t he be extremely worried?There was nothing she could do but watch, feeling helpless."Are you alright?" Nash suddenly turned to Nina.Nina casually replied, her hands tucked in her pockets, "When I arrived, Linda was already dead. The police told me that if there were no other suspects, Xander's death would be closed.""Are you sure it was Linda?"Nina nodded. "Yes, it's confirmed. She's dead, and there's nothing left."Resentment
"I have some matters to deal with at the company. Once you've sorted out your uncle's affairs, it's best not to delay work," his words left no room for debate. She had another identity, that of Nash's secretary. Despite being separated from life, work had to be done well. For Nina, her time at work would not last much longer. Today seemed to be her last day. Yet, she still had to fulfill her month's work as no one would be exempt from financial penalties. If she did not show up for work, her pay would still be deducted. A few days spent in her hometown had already consumed her vacation days. When she eventually resigned from the York Corporation, it would mark a new beginning. She needed to plan her future path carefully. After much hesitation, Nina finally agreed. "Alright, Mr. York." Satisfied with her answer, Nash shifted his gaze forward and Nina followed behind him. As usual, they maintained their professional relationship, leaving behind their roles as husband and w
Nash furrowed his brows, then asked coldly, "Was not it said that the standoff lasted for over ten minutes? No one actually showed up for that long? And in the end, it was that woman who fell off accidentally.""In the room, there were only Miranda and Linda. I thought chatting was not a big deal and did not think much about it. As for the bodyguards who were supposed to protect Miranda, it just happened that she sent them away that day." The assistant recalled everything from that day, her voice trembling slightly, afraid of being blamed by Nash.As Miranda's assistant, she had not played much of a role at a critical moment."Who called the police?" Nash asked again. "The police arrived so quickly."Based on the speed of the police response at that time, it could not be that they knew someone was targeting Miranda before calling the police. It must have been before.The assistant hesitated and did not speak. She did not know who called the police, but the police had already arriv
Ben would never believe the truth, and his mother would never allow Charlie’s existence. Instead of creating chaos and an irreparable fallout, Jamie chose to keep it hidden. She thought that once Ben’s anger subsided, he would eventually let her go.“Even if you figure out who the father is, what difference does it make?” Jamie met Ben’s intense gaze calmly. “We’ve already said everything that needed to be said. Can’t we stop making each other’s lives miserable?”"Your mother offered so much money. Why wouldn’t I take it? I’m not a fool. I gave you up for one million before. After these past four years, do you really think there’s any love left between us? Do you honestly expect me to cry and beg for you?”Jamie’s voice was steady as she stared calmly at Ben. She had been scared at first, but over time, she had come to terms with her reality. Ben wasn’t going to kill her. And as long as she stayed alive, there would eventually come a day when he’d let her go. Right now, his anger wa
The next second, there was only silence on the phone.Ben sent the phone number to his assistant. “Investigate thoroughly.”A thought suddenly struck him. He couldn't let Jamie continue to roam freely outside.*Four days later, Ben's mother came to visit. “You refuse to take over the family business, and now you're going against me by keeping Jamie around again?”Ben didn’t respond, but her anger only grew. “Ben, you’ve seen for yourself what kind of person Jamie is. Why are you still so obsessed with her? The fiancée I arranged for you is far better than the one you’ve chosen!”The Larson family was also one of the prominent families in Birkham. While the Lucas and Larson families couldn’t rival the York family, the Lucas family still held its position as the second most influential family in the city. On top of that, they were relatives of the Scott Lucas. Even Scott, who had initially resisted marriage, eventually followed his parents’ wishes and entered into a family
Jamie closed her eyes briefly, sinking further into despair. She didn’t even notice when Ben had left the room. Her thoughts were scattered, her mind drifting in and out of focus.Though she wanted to leave the hospital, she was constantly watched, making it impossible. By afternoon, a nurse came in to change her dressing.Jamie glanced up absentmindedly. “It’s fine. I don’t need it.”“This is under Dr. Lawson’s direct orders,” the nurse replied gently but firmly. “I can’t afford to cut corners. Since you’re still admitted, please cooperate.”Jamie lifted her gaze slightly, her tone subdued. “I’d like to get some fresh air.”“Of course, once we’re done changing your dressing, I can take you outside. Just make sure not to strain your muscles,” the nurse said patiently.The weather was exceptionally pleasant that day. As she sat in the wheelchair outside, Jamie made several calls to Winnie. The phone was still off, as if Winnie had made up her mind to disappear completely from her
“You're the patient, and I'm the doctor. Taking care of you is my job,” Jay said with a light smile, handing her the utensils. “Go ahead, try it.”Jamie was indeed hungry. She hadn’t felt like eating, but she couldn’t refuse his gesture. Besides, she needed to regain her strength quickly if she hoped to find Charlie. She picked up the utensils and was just about to take a bite when footsteps sounded outside the room. The door swung open, revealing Ben. His expression darkened instantly, his face stormy as he took in the scene before him. “So, Dr. Lawson, is this how you treat all your patients, or is this a special case?” Ben’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “Just giving an old classmate some extra care. What’s the harm in that?” Jay replied, his words laced with subtle defiance. The room's atmosphere froze, tension thick in the air. Ben’s sharp gaze flickered between Jamie and Jay before finally settling on Jamie’s pale face, his expression unreadable. Jamie, sensing th
“Wake up, Charlie.” Winnie held him tightly, panic overwhelming her. She wanted to take him away, not harm him! Just then, the sound of a car pulling up broke through the darkness. Footsteps approached, slow and deliberate. A tall man emerged from the shadows and stopped in front of her. Tears streaming down her face, Winnie looked up. The man’s sharp, angular features were obscured by the dim light, adding to his air of mystery. But she immediately recognized him. It was the same man who had told her the truth about Jack Green being Ben Lucas. Winnie glared at him with fierce determination. “Why are you here? Are you happy now that things have come to this?” “You foolish woman, do you think being deceived feels any better?” the mysterious man sneered. “The truth is nothing but a bloody wound. I’d rather…” Winnie’s voice faltered, unable to continue. “Stop lying to yourself,” the man said with a slight shake of his head. “What do you want?” Winnie asked
Jamie couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath. “Stop pretending.” Ben's harsh words cut through the air, as cold and unrelenting as ever. Jamie couldn’t straighten up for a long moment. She gritted her teeth, determined to ignore the pain radiating from her wound, spreading like fire through her body. Sweat dripped from her forehead onto the pale hospital bed, leaving tiny dark stains. “I don’t need to play games with you,” she said finally, her voice frail but resolute. “It wouldn’t work, and I don’t want to. I just want my child back.” Ben’s sharp gaze faltered for a moment before he replied in a cold tone, “Focus on recovering first.” With that, he turned and left the room. Jamie slumped against the edge of the bed, exhausted and broken. *Meanwhile, Winnie drove aimlessly, following random road signs, unaware of where she was heading. The road grew increasingly desolate, with the sun sinking below the horizon and barely a soul in sight. “Where are we, Aunt
Perhaps due to her injuries, Jamie couldn’t muster much strength, and her resistance felt as feeble as a kitten pawing at someone.Jay gently guided her back to the hospital bed. While examining her injuries, his expression turned serious. “All these years, I’ve attended every class reunion, but I’ve never seen you. Did you move abroad?” Jamie shook her head slightly. “Life’s been messy. Nothing worth mentioning.” “If there’s anything troubling you, tell me. Maybe this old classmate can help,” Jay said softly, his eyes full of concern. Though time had barely left its mark on her face, her eyes carried a deep weariness, dulling the radiance she once had. It was clear she had endured more than her fair share of hardships over the years. Jamie remained silent for a moment before shaking her head again. “I’m fine, Jay.” Instinctively, he asked, “So, did you become a lawyer?” The question hit her like a sharp sting. Her lips trembled for a second before she forced a weak
Jamie bit her lip tightly, her face pale as paper from blood loss. A mocking smile played on her lips. “Don’t worry, Ben. I know my place. How could someone like me possibly hurt someone like you?” Ben felt a heavy weight settle in his chest, as if a boulder had lodged itself there. It was neither something he could expel nor swallow. His dark, piercing eyes glinted with cold, unrelenting anger. “Jamie, you never fail to impress me,” he said, his voice dripping with icy sarcasm. Mrs. Lucas, watching their verbal sparring with satisfaction, chimed in, her tone sharp. “This woman would throw you away for the smallest gain. Why waste your energy on her?” “Enough,” Ben snapped, his voice even and calm, though his gaze burned with quiet fury. It was as if the exchange hadn’t phased him at all. “No need to give her any more money. She’s not worth it.” His cold, piercing stare lingered on Jamie, making her breath hitch. Mrs. Lucas couldn’t contain her glee. “Good. Now that yo
Jamie forced herself to swallow the rising pain in her chest. If cutting Ben off completely was the only way to make him give up, then so be it.A million dollars...For Ben, whether as the alias "Jack Green" or as his true self, money had never been an issue. His mother had made sure he never lacked anything. However, Jamie’s single remark, sharp and calculated, cut straight to the heart of their relationship. It reduced everything they had shared to something insignificant and transactional.Ben’s expression turned grim, his dark eyes filled with anguish and anger. “Jamie, if you needed money, you could’ve just asked me. Winning me over would’ve gotten you more than a million. Was it really worth it?”There was a deep sadness in his voice, almost as if he was pleading for her to lie to him, just to make him feel wanted. Jamie could feel the weight of his words, the memories of his kindness clawing at her heart. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say a word,