Nina nodded. "Makes sense."Yvonne said, "Then let's first see if your boss can fulfill his promise as agreed. If not, we'll follow the steps I suggested. Anyway, once you get divorced, you're out, and who cares about the rest.""Okay."They would cross that bridge when they came to it.---Nash headed to the York Corporation."Nina, could you get me a cup of coffee?"After dealing with a stack of documents, Nash appeared somewhat fatigued. In a moment of absentmindedness, he instinctively called out, pinching his brows, only to realize the situation.Nina was not present at the York Corporation. She was currently with Yvonne.The office felt unusually quiet without Nina around. Yet, Nash found himself oddly expecting her presence.In a matter of seconds, however, he caught a whiff of rich coffee aroma, tinged with a hint of rose petals."Mr. York, this is your favorite coffee."A respectful voice sounded by his side as Serene approached, holding the coffee.Serene was a b
The smile faded from Nash's lips."Bang!"Serene fell heavily to the ground, looking somewhat disheveled and genuinely in pain. At that moment, tears welled up in her eyes.However, all Serene could do was apologize to Nash, "I'm sorry, Mr. York, I seem to have twisted my foot. I... I really should be more careful!""You really should!" Nash did not pay much attention to Serene. "With your little tricks, do you think you can really hook me?"Serene was speechless. Nash saw right through her. But of course, Serene could not admit it now. "Mr. York, you've misunderstood me. I just accidentally spilled the coffee when I fell. Look, it's because the heels of the shoes I bought are too low-quality."Serene's voice was somewhat hoarse, and her whole demeanor seemed embarrassed. Her shoes' heels had indeed come off.Nash did not even glance at them.His voice was cold. "It's good not to have such thoughts, but do you think this is acceptable?""I'm sorry, Mr. York. I know I'm your
From then on, Leo would always show up at her art exhibitions and even buy her paintings at high prices, among other things. Doing all this despite her disinterest, that was what you would call obsession!Nina was at a loss for words at the moment. Just then, her phone chimed with a notification. She and Yvonne both reached for their phones simultaneously. It was a message from their university class group chat, sent by Mike."Next Monday, our classmate, Peter Lark, is hosting a banquet at the Scarlet Leaf Bistro to celebrate his son's first celebration, and it's also our class reunion. Hope everyone can make it.""Kind of absurd, isn't it? Why doesn't Peter make the announcement himself? Why does Mike have to do it?" Yvonne quipped beside her.At that moment, many in the group chat began to question this as well. Mike replied, "Our class president is currently in the hospital and not in a convenient position. I organized this on his behalf. Everyone, if you have any concerns, let'
Nina chuckled, "There's no affection between Nash and me. Even if you get rid of Miranda, someone else will still appear."Yvonne's expression darkened. "Then I won't say anything."The nanny did not take long to cook, but Nina did not eat much and felt drowsy.The next day, Nina and Yvonne went to the art exhibition. Yvonne was already a somewhat famous artist, but even disguised, she was still recognized by someone.The crowd was overwhelming. Yvonne had no choice but to let go of Nina. "Nina, you go back first."With that, Yvonne quickly walked away. Without Yvonne, Nina felt bored alone there.Unexpectedly, at the exit, she saw Nash walking towards her.Their eyes met, and for a moment, it felt like time stood still but Nina quickly snapped out of it. She did not say anything and tried to walk around him, but Nash blocked her path."Nina, are you avoiding me?" he asked softly."No. I just realized I haven't been working lately, so I shouldn't stay by your side," Nina repli
Seeing Nina in this state, Nash could not help but furrow his brows. "Didn’t you go to the hospital for a check-up?""Yeah, they gave me some medicine and I'm taking it."A shiver ran down Nina's spine, her throat constricted. She avoided meeting Nash's piercing black eyes, afraid he might see through her.Nash's frown deepened. "It's been a day or two since you went. What did they prescribe? Let me ask Caleb. If it doesn't work, I'll have him bring you something else."The doctor prescribed calcium and folic acid tablets, which Nina had already swapped out. If she showed them to Caleb, being a doctor, he'd spot the switch right away!Nina had to change the subject. "It's only been a day or two, like you said. It's not that quick. And didn’t you give me a box of stomach medicine last time?"Nash recalled.Seeing Nash's silence, Nina swiftly placed the coffee on his desk. "This time I didn't add rose petals. See if you like it. Oh, I just remembered, I need to go to the room to t
Nina was stunned.Nash had never been this gentle with her before. If it weren't for the three years in the agreement and the presence of Miranda, she might have reignited the desire to stay by his side because of his actions and words.Nina nodded. "I know Caleb won't bite, but I really didn't find any major issues. Nash, why don't you trust me? Do I look sick to you?"Or do you think I look pregnant?"This time, Nina took the initiative.Although Nash had mentioned it before, she had always denied it. This time, she brought it up first, hoping Nash would dispel the idea.Nash did not respond.However, his gaze fell on her again because of Nina's words.He had noticed she had gained weight recently. But these days, he felt her complexion was not as good as before, and she seemed a bit thinner."I'll have the helper make you something delicious to replenish your energy later. I've made an appointment. You'll stay here for now," Nash said slowly, his voice husky.Nina nodded.
She whipped up oatmeal, flipped pancakes, and even simmered some chicken soup. Once everything was done, the helper assisted in setting it all out on the outdoor dining table. Nash happened to descend from upstairs, and Nina called out to him, "Come on, breakfast's ready."In that moment, sunlight draped Nina in a beautiful golden hue, making her appear radiant. Nash felt like everything was right again, as if they were back to their old selves. But it was only fleeting because after breakfast, they had to head to the district court to schedule an appointment.Nash was not really feeling breakfast, but he could not avoid it. Nina was a skilled cook, and everything she made was delicious and comforting.After breakfast, they headed out together. Nash did not call for the driver or Quincy. He drove himself, with Nina in the passenger seat, just like the day they got their marriage certificate. Though the weather was not as good that day.At the district court, there were not many peo
Nina was not pleased, but she had no choice. "Yes, I'm very happy," she replied, though her words did not match her true emotions.Nash had already seen through everything. "Your idea of a better method involves hiring a lawyer, doesn't it?" Nina did not deny it. But after a moment of silence, she told Nash, "Mr. York, our paths diverge here." She was going to consult with a lawyer. Nash sensed her intentions and was not about to be so kind as to give her a ride. He simply remarked, "York Corporation has a lot on its plate.""Oh," Nina responded tersely, deciding not to say anything more.At York Corporation, one went to the CEO's office while the other returned to their workstation. Serene was taken aback to see Nina. "Nina, I thought you weren't coming in today."Nina's attention was drawn by Serene's voice. Serene looked sharp in her professional attire, especially given Mr. York's favoritism toward her. Moreover, Nina had brought Serene in, fully aware she would event
But instead of feeling touched, Vera’s first reaction was nausea. A wave of discomfort surged up from her stomach, and Vera’s face paled. She bolted for the bathroom. Caleb followed quickly. “Are you feeling sick?” “I don’t think so. I’ve been eating normally—nothing too heavy or weird lately.” Vera clutched her stomach, just as confused as he was. Then, a possibility flashed through her mind. Caleb clearly had the same thought. Without a word, he turned and walked into their bedroom, returning moments later with a pregnancy test. Vera looked at him, stunned. “When did you buy that?” He responded matter-of-factly, “Better safe than sorry.” Vera was momentarily speechless. Five minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. It was positive. They had only been married for three months. How did this happen so fast?Caleb, on the other hand, remained composed—at le
Of course, Vera wasn’t about to dump all her responsibilities on her assistant. That would be exploitation. She called her assistant into her office. “You’re twenty-five this year, right?” Her assistant blinked, confused. Wasn’t her age common knowledge? Why was Vera suddenly bringing it up? A thought struck her. Was this an arranged marriage situation? Her face immediately filled with silent refusal. “Miss Vera, I’m still young. I’m not thinking about marriage anytime soon.” Vera tapped her pen against the desk. “I’m not telling you to get married.” “Oh.” “I just want to offload some of the smaller daily tasks to you. You don’t have to run every minor document by me.”Her assistant instantly understood. A raise. After confirming she was on board, Vera gave her a salary bump and had her hire a few more assistants to distribute the workload. “If I don’t have time to handle everything, you guys will take care of it. If something’s too complicated, jus
Vera could sense danger the moment the conversation turned in this direction. Her father had never questioned her about married life, and she was lucky enough to avoid nosy relatives. But just because she hadn’t experienced it firsthand didn’t mean she hadn’t seen it happen to others. Without hesitation, she abandoned the half-folded pastry in her hands. “I... uh, need to use the restroom.” Before she could escape, Mrs. Smith caught her wrist. “You and Caleb aren’t getting any younger,” she said matter-of-factly. “You should start thinking about kids—make sure you’re putting in the effort, hmm?” Vera left the kitchen visibly drained. Mrs. Smith was a wonderful mother-in-law, the kind who treated Vera like her own daughter. Despite knowing Vera came from a well-off family, she had still gifted them a house as a wedding present. Of course, Caleb already owned a place, but his mother had insisted. “That’s your house. This is the home I’m giving you as a weddi
That undeniable possessiveness flickered in Caleb’s gaze—subtle yet impossible to ignore. It was the kind of look a powerful man might give his beloved in an old Hollywood film. And right now, the photographer felt like the unlucky bystander who had accidentally stumbled upon an intimate scene. His voice wavered slightly, caught up in his own imagination. “Mr. Smith, lift your eyes toward the camera.” Caleb’s sharp gaze flickered over, intense and commanding. The photographer instinctively pressed the shutter. They continued with several more poses, reviewing the shots as they went. Vera loved them all, but her favorite was still the vintage-inspired one. “How long until we get the final prints?” she asked. “Two to three days at most,” the photographer replied. “I’ll have them shipped directly to you.” Then, after a slight pause, he hesitated before making a request. “I actually have a personal favor to ask—would you both be open to letting us displa
Vera was tempted. They had already taken plenty of wedding photos—several sets at the island, more at the wedding itself. But this wasn’t just any photo studio. It was privately booked and known for being one of the most prestigious studios in the city. Appointments here were nearly impossible to get. The fact that Caleb had managed to secure a session meant he had gone to great lengths to make it happen. If they were just going to take ordinary wedding pictures, it would be a waste of an opportunity. Still, she wasn’t sure what kind of shoot she wanted. The photographer, understanding her hesitation, pulled out a sample album. “You can take a look at our past work. These are some of the styles we’ve done.” Flipping through the pages, Vera saw an array of stunning concepts—each picture more breathtaking than the last. Then, one particular set caught her eye. A Golden Age Hollywood theme.It was classic, nostalgic, and beautifully atmospheric. “Ca
After the wedding, Vera considered taking some time off for a honeymoon. But the thought quickly faded when she realized Caleb had been practically living at the hospital. With a sigh, she dismissed the idea. She was used to it, but to say she wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. Her assistant picked up on it. “Mrs. Smith, don’t you want to go on a honeymoon?” she asked one day. “One of my friends just got married, and she’s been obsessively researching destinations. “She even said a marriage without a honeymoon is already half a failure.” Vera froze mid-page, suddenly losing interest in the documents she had been reviewing. Her assistant hesitated, then offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you go visit Dr. Smith at work?“You seem… distracted. Maybe seeing him will help.” Vera snapped out of her daze, suddenly aware of how preoccupied she had been lately. It was embarrassing to admit, but she had been zoning out far too often—especially after coming hom
Whenever they did this in the past, Caleb always maintained some restraint. But tonight—he didn’t hold back at all. He took her from the bedroom to the bathroom, then back to the bed, his searing kisses trailing every inch of her skin. The next morning, even as she woke up, Vera could still feel the lingering traces of last night’s intoxicating pleasure. As expected, she ended up taking the day off. It wasn’t until two days later that she finally returned to work. *Everyone at the company had already prepared for this. The moment Vera walked into the office, she was greeted with knowing smiles and teasing remarks. “Congratulations, Mrs. Smith!” “Newlywed bliss, huh?” “Three whole days off? Someone had a good time.” It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she had been up to. Obviously, her married life was going exceptionally well—so well that she had completely abandoned work for it. Under the weight of their mischievous stares, Vera barely k
Yelena still hadn’t accepted Hunter, but he wasn’t giving up either and was relentlessly closing in on her. Knowing Yelena’s soft heart, Vera figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in. She let out a sigh. Her friend’s love life wasn’t something she could interfere with. Besides, Caleb had already given her a little inside scoop. “She came to the hospital for a follow-up a few days ago,” he had mentioned casually. “Hunter was the one who brought her.” Vera had clicked her tongue at the news. Yelena always seemed quiet and reserved, but apparently, she was full of surprises.*Time flew by in the blink of an eye.By mid-month, Caleb had rented out an entire vineyard and spent several days transforming it into the perfect wedding venue.When the day arrived, the celebration took place right there.The vineyard was sprawling and elegant, every bit as grand as any luxury hotel—if not better. Even the wine cellar remained untouched, stocked with years-
“Did you plan this from the start?” Vera narrowed her eyes, feeling like she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. “Mm.” Caleb smiled, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Because yes—he had always been planning this. The biggest change in Vera’s life after the island proposal was the ring now sitting on her finger. It wasn’t just any ring. It was custom-made, something Caleb had specially ordered. She only found out by accident when she glanced at his phone one day and saw the purchase record. It had been ordered two months ago. Vera did the math and was stunned. He had been preparing for this long before she even started getting impatient. Her heart swelled with emotion. And as soon as Caleb’s parents heard that their son had finally proposed, they wasted no time pushing them to get the marriage license. *One day, Vera overheard Caleb’s mother lecturing him. “Your dad and I weren’t expecting much from you. With how much ti