"Other than here, Nina has nowhere else to go," Nash's voice carried a firmness, even a hint of coldness.She sat up abruptly, only to realize that it was already dawn.Yvonne's mocking voice chimed in again, "Nash, don't you think what you just said is ridiculous?"This was not a dream. Nash had indeed arrived.She got out of bed and walked out of the room, only to find Nash and Yvonne standing face to face in the living room. Nash was wearing a smoke-gray shirt today. Yvonne, being only five foot four, stood half a head shorter than Nash."Nash, if you're here to fulfill what I want, then I'll go with you," Nina pursed her lips and spoke, stepping towards Nash one step at a time.Both Nash and Yvonne looked at her simultaneously.Nash noticed her pajamas, and the cartoon pattern made him frown. Nina had never worn this type of clothing before. Additionally, her long hair cascaded naturally down both sides of her shoulders, and with no makeup on her face, she emanated a lazy vi
He could be gentle, he could be cruel but he never brought up divorce. Nina wanted to pull away, but he tightened his grip even more. "Nina, don't be silly."Nina felt even worse. "How is it silly for me to want some clarity? If you and your mother share the same mindset, then I can return the two million to you.""Nina, do you even have two million?" Nash did not believe her. At that moment, the car was moving slowly. The central locking system was engaged, and the doors could not be opened. Nina said hoarsely, "No, I don't, but I can earn it."Nash chuckled lightly. "And how do you plan to do that? If you leave the York family, who do you think will hire you? How much do you plan to pay me back each month?" Before Nina could respond, Nash continued to laugh, "How long do you plan to take to repay this two million?"Nina fell silent. She had not considered all this yet. But now that Nash brought it up, she could take on part-time jobs, borrow some money from Yvonne, work as a
Nina asked quietly, "If I must ensure your happiness, appease your mom, and prevent your aunt from feeling disappointed, then what about me?"Nash responded somewhat resentfully, "Nina, don't forget, it was you who told Grandpa that you wanted to marry me."Nina recalled the promise of two million and the shares. Her head throbbed, and it felt like an invisible hand was squeezing her heart fiercely. For a moment, she struggled to breathe. She did not want to discuss these matters with Nash anymore. Leaning against the car window, she closed her eyes.Nash remained silent, assuming she was tired. Before long, the driver parked the car at the entrance of Riverview Estate.Initially, Nash had not planned to wake her up, thinking she could rest a while longer. Surprisingly, Nina pushed open the car door. Observing her steady steps, Nash suddenly realized she was not tired; she just did not want to face him.He pursed his lips, following her. "You head in first. If everything's fine, w
Although Zoe was of a certain age, she liked being addressed as "Miss York" just like the younger folks.Watching his aunt lead Nina away, Nash opted to adhere to the rules and donned a silver-white metallic mask.By the time he entered, Zoe had already taken Nina to the second floor of the lobby. From this vantage point, one could overlook the entire scene of the ground floor, although outsiders could not see inside.There were many people at the dance, all dressed in their finery, with the youngsters showcasing their enviable figures.Nina did not understand the purpose of Zoe hosting such a dance."Have some juice. Tonight, I can help you test that stinky kid, Nash," Zoe pushed a glass of juice toward Nina, her smile sly.Although Nash claimed that he married Nina for the shares their grandfather promised, Zoe did not believe that there was no affection between them after three years of marriage.Nina hastily grabbed Zoe's hand. "Zoe, please don't try. I've been swamped with
Nash and Nina were both drawn to this voice. They saw a girl in a long pink dress. She was tall with fair skin, hair elegantly pinned up, and adorned with jewels. She was running towards Nash while holding up her skirt. She wore a silver-white mask similar to the one on Nash's face.Most notably, there was a significant height difference between them when the girl reached Nash. Recognizing him even with his mask on indicated a strong familiarity."Who are you?" Nash frowned. He was certain this girl was not Nina. He had no idea what tricks his aunt was up to, and he was unaware that Nina was watching everything.The girl smiled, lifting the corners of her mouth. "Nash, never mind who I am. Can I invite you to dance now? Since my aunt hosted tonight's event, I should make good use of this opportunity, shouldn't I?"The girl's reference to "aunt" piqued the curiosity of Nash and Nina. Who exactly was this girl?Nash coldly declined her offer, "I don't accept invitations from strange
Nina was dumbfounded, unsure why he had such a sudden strong reaction. "Does this feel better for you?" Nina asked him again.Nash looked into Nina's eyes and realized she did not mean it that way. He slightly pursed his lips, closed his eyes, and replied softly, "Mmm, much better." He knew she was changing the subject, so he did not press further.Nina continued to massage him, feeling her hands getting sore. Hearing Nash's steady breathing, she paused and fetched a thin blanket for him. As she stepped out of the office, she ran into Serene."Nina," Serene instinctively greeted her upon seeing her.Nina entered Nash's office and stayed there for over an hour. Last night at the banquet, Nash smashing a wine bottle over Sean's head made it obvious even to the discerning eye that the relationship between Nash and Nina was far from shallow.Nina nodded and returned to her desk. Yvonne sent her a message: [Have you considered my proposal? Do you want to accept?]Nina replied: [I’ve b
"No, today's meeting is with an important client. Just focus on your job at the company." Nash was the kind of person who remained indifferent to everyone. If he truly disliked someone, in a situation where there were no interests involved, he would not allow that person to appear before him. Seeing Serene's silence, Nina added, "Your focus should be on your job, making sure you excel in your responsibilities, rather than worrying about whether he likes you or not."If he doesn't like you, does that mean you'll lose motivation for your job?" Nina's words were sharp and direct.Serene pondered for a moment. "You're right, I see now. I shouldn't be so anxious."Nina calmly said, "Just focus on your tasks." With that, Serene returned to her workstation. Nash went to meet with the person in charge of Jasper Corporation, so she could freely leave work and visit her parents. However, she did not expect to find Sue and Lily there. This time, the mother and daughter did not display th
Nina's breath caught for a moment. She decided to keep it to herself. "I'm not pregnant, just had too much of the same, wanted to change things up a bit."Her mother cautioned her, "It's best if you're not pregnant. After all, you've made a decision. Being pregnant at this juncture could complicate things."There was more that her mother wanted to say, but Nina's father gave her a meaningful look, urging her, "Nina, eat a little more. When it comes to having a child, you young folks should figure it out on your own.""Okay," Nina nodded. Now that she was pregnant, her appetite had changed, and she felt tired easily. After eating, she soon felt drowsy and was about to go back to her room when Quincy called."Nina, Mr. York got drunk.""Where is he?" Nina could not ignore it."I'm with Serene, sending him to the Riverview Estate."Hearing Serene's name, Nina paused. Nash had gone to meet the person in charge of the Jasper Corporation but he only took Quincy."Okay, I'll be right
Chloe scoffed, “What’s the big deal? When I married your father, I just threw on a simple dress and walked into the house. I still have that dress, you know.”She muttered under her breath, “Marriage is about building a life together. What’s the point of all these fancy extras?”A wedding dress? A suit? That sounded expensive. Their family had barely saved a few thousand dollars over the years. How could they justify spending it all on a wedding? *Vera, taking advantage of the last bit of battery on her phone, quickly pulled up photos of wedding dresses and suits. She handed the phone to Alice. “Your brother would look really handsome in a suit.” Alice gasped in excitement. “Wow! These clothes are so pretty! Vera, you’re already beautiful—if you wear this, you’ll look just like a fairy!” Then she hesitated. “When we get the dress… can I try it on too?” “Of course.” This wasn’t a wedding Vera had agreed to in the first place. She had shown Alice the pictur
Alice looked at Vera and tried to reassure her. “It’s just a little meat. It won’t make you gain weight, I promise. Last Christmas, I ate a whole plate of pork, and look—I didn’t gain a pound!”Vera said nothing. In a place like this, meat was probably a rare luxury, something they only had on holidays or special occasions. Things like snack foods, takeout, or even basic convenience store items were probably unheard of here. How could anyone gain weight in a place like this? But Vera wasn’t refusing to eat because she was worried about that.Still, Alice meant well.Even though Vera resented her in this moment, she knew when to pick her battles.So she picked up her fork and ate the piece of chicken.Chloe finally looked pleased.“You haven’t had a baby yet, so why worry about your weight? Eat more—you’ll need the strength to have a big, healthy boy. After that, you can think about getting your figure back. Tonight, you’ll sleep in Peter’s room. You’re already his,
Vera's expression changed completely as she looked at the family. “What are you talking about? Why would I stay here? I have my own life.” “Vera, didn’t you say you couldn’t find your brother?” Alice’s voice grew anxious. “Then take my brother instead! He’ll protect both of us. This is a good thing for you! Don’t tell me you think my brother isn’t good enough?“His leg isn’t perfect, and he can’t do heavy labor, but he’s not useless. And I can help him with the farm work—we can do it together!” Her words were absurd. If Vera had known this was her real intention, she never would have accepted her help. “Enough, both of you, stop talking.”Gerald had lived long enough to understand that his son and Vera were worlds apart. He also knew that there was no way she would willingly stay. But plenty of women in the village hadn’t wanted to stay either. That didn’t matter. As long as she was here, that was enough. He got straight to the point. “Our village
The young girl suddenly looked torn. In their village, getting a wife was extremely difficult. Families with a little money could sometimes bring a wife in from outside, but for families like hers, who had nothing to offer, it was nearly impossible. To make things worse, her brother had a bad leg. As a child, he had been mocked by other kids. He could still walk, but not quickly—and he couldn’t do the heavy farm work required to support a family. Now that he was getting older and still living alone, she felt incredibly anxious. Today, by some stroke of luck, she had met a woman in the mountains who was as beautiful as a goddess. She was determined to make this woman her sister-in-law. But if she left now, what if the woman ran away or was taken away by someone else in the village? What would happen to her brother then? *“It’s already so late,” Vera said gently. “Even if everyone in the village knows each other, it’s still not safe for a young girl
Up ahead was a village. “Miss, it’s really late today, so I’ll take you home first. My parents and brother will take good care of you, and you can get a good night’s sleep at our place. Once you’ve rested, we’ll take you to town tomorrow.” The young girl tightened her grip on Vera’s hand. “My mom is a great cook! She’ll definitely make a big meal to welcome you.” It really was late. The sky was completely dark, and Vera’s phone battery was nearly dead. The girl was still so young. She had already gone out of her way to bring Vera back from the deep mountains. It wouldn’t be right to ask her to take her all the way to town tonight. Vera still had some cash in her pocket. After covering the cost of transportation, she decided she would leave the rest for the girl’s family. If it weren’t for the girl, who knew how long she would have been wandering in the mountains? “My house is just ahead. It’s not in great shape, so don’t mind it too much. Next year, whe
Vera’s nerves tensed up again. A sudden sound in the middle of nowhere was never a good sign. If it was a snake or some other large animal, she would be in serious trouble. Her ankle was swollen, and she couldn’t run fast. Would this be where it all ended for her? She had to leave quietly. But the ground was covered in thick layers of fallen leaves, with dry branches hidden underneath. Crack. As she stepped back, her foot snapped a twig, the sound piercing through the silence. Only one thought filled her mind—this was it. The rustling nearby grew louder. Vera squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself. Then, a voice suddenly spoke beside her. “Miss, why are you here alone? Didn’t your family come with you?” It was a person. Not an animal. Vera’s eyes flew open. A young girl stood in front of her. Fear dissolved in an instant, replaced by relief. She was saved.“I came here alone. Little one, do you know how to get out of here?” Ver
Hunter took a bite of the biscuits and ravioli she had made. The taste was surprisingly good. It wasn’t on the level of a Michelin-starred chef, but it had something even more special—the taste of home. And of course, there was the oatmeal. He took one spoonful after another, finishing the entire bowl. *Meanwhile, Vera still hadn’t found her brother. Disappointment weighed heavily on her as she prepared to leave. But just then, her phone buzzed. An anonymous message. She tapped it open and stared at the image attached. It was a watch. Alone, a watch meant nothing. But this watch was her brother’s. Vera immediately zoomed in on the photo, carefully inspecting the engravings inside. There they were—his initials. No mistake. This was his watch. Below the image, a location pin was attached. The place was nearby. Vera’s eyes filled with determination. If she had found nothing, she would have simply left. But now, she had recei
When Yelena woke up again, she was shocked to find that she wasn’t at the club. She sat up abruptly, looking around in confusion. Then, she got out of bed, slipped on her slippers, and pushed the door open. “Where am I?” “At my place,” Hunter replied casually. He was working in the living room when he saw her wake up. “You slept for a long time. I couldn’t just leave you alone at the club, so I brought you back here.” Seeing the uncertainty on her face, he added, “It’s already late. Just stay here for the night. I’ll take you back tomorrow.” Yelena nodded. There was no other choice now. “There’s food in the fridge. If you’re hungry, heat something up. There are also snacks in the drawer—take whatever you want.” “Alright.” She really was hungry. She opened the drawer, grabbed a few small bread rolls, ate them quickly, and then went back to her room to rest. *The next morning, Yelena woke up early. Thinking about everything Hunter had done—treatin
Yelena quickly lowered her arm, letting her sleeve fall over the mark to cover it. “It’s nothing. Here’s your cocktail. Please enjoy.” “Yelena.” Hunter grabbed her wrist without warning. He pulled up her sleeve, revealing the deep, ugly scars on her arm. His brows knitted together instantly. “Who did this to you?” The force behind it was brutal—downright inhuman. Yelena remained silent. Who else could have done this besides Liam? But she had agreed to this. She had willingly accepted Hunter’s request and entered Liam’s world. She had no right to complain. Her silence gave Hunter all the confirmation he needed. “Liam did this to you, didn’t he?” Yelena nodded. “It’s nothing. The wounds have already started healing. They look worse than they feel. Give it some time, and they’ll fade.” “Wait here.” Hunter stood abruptly and walked away. Yelena had no idea what he was doing, but since he told her to wait, she didn’t argue. A few minu