He just didn’t love her, plain and simple. In Zoe's view, she and Nash made a good couple, but it was crucial to also consider whether being with her could truly bring happiness to Nash.However, it took a different turn with Zoe, who smiled and said, "I only said a few words, and you're already defending your husband. Nina, I know you love Nash deeply, and it's all his luck. He could search for a million years and still wouldn't find a wife like you. Maybe he went through too much hardship in his childhood, so now that he's grown up, he deserves a little happiness."Nina was puzzled. "Did he not have a good childhood?"Growing up in such a privileged family, he should have been happier than ordinary people.Zoe's expression changed for a few seconds, but then she laughed casually and said, "Let's not dwell on those matters. Nash probably wouldn't want to either. I just hope you two will give me grandchildren soon."She also wanted to retire in the future and stay at home to tak
Hearing this, Nash was shocked and turned pale, furrowing his brows tightly. He said, "Where are you? I'll be right there!""What's happening, Nash?" Miranda asked, seeing his urgency."Nina is in trouble!" Nash didn't even glance at her, he just ran out.Seeing how hurried he was, Miranda sensed his deep concern for Nina, but she had no idea what was going on. Nina had been perfectly fine during the day. How could something happen so suddenly? She looked at the gift box left behind, untouched, feeling a pang of disappointment.The assistant beside her said, "Just a few hours ago, Nina was fine. What could have happened? Could it be that she found out Mr. York was here and intentionally caused trouble to ruin the relationship between you two?"Miranda's face went slightly pale, but she composed herself and said, "That's unlikely. Nina isn't that petty. Maybe something really did happen. I'm thinking if I should go help.""Miranda, you're too kind. I think Nina is quite cunning,"
Zoe stood firmly at the doorway, her gaze locked onto Nash. Seeing Zoe there, Nash halted his steps, his eyes narrowing slightly as he called out, "Aunt Zoe.""So you still recognize me as your aunt," Zoe couldn't tolerate his words, and she scolded him, "You've left Nina alone, are you going to find that mistress, Miranda?"Nash furrowed his brows slightly in response, retorting, "Don't believe everything you hear and don't say such things in the future."Nina could only smile wryly upon hearing this. Regardless of the circumstances, the one he always defended was Miranda. However, Zoe didn't believe it: "You think I don't know you? Besides that woman, who else would make you abandon Nina and rush off? Isn't it her? What's wrong with her? Did the sky fall or is she dying? Can't survive without you? Today, you're not allowed to leave. Stay here and take care of Nina."Zoe's attitude was adamant. Yet Nash still respected this aunt, patiently responding, "I still have work.""Even
She had an allergic reaction to alcohol, feeling itchy all over. It was Nash's constant care that prevented her from scratching her skin. Indeed, even if there wasn't any love between her and Nash, and even if she wasn't happy in the York family, she could still feel his compassion at times.She withdrew her hand, her voice slightly strained, but she still indulged him, saying, "It will get better gradually. Antihistamines may not completely work too, so don't worry too much. Aren't you still busy? I'll open the door for you. Don't take Zoe's words to heart. Even if you leave, I won't say anything in front of her."She went to open the door but found it locked from the inside and couldn't be opened."Let's sleep here tonight. The door will naturally be opened in the morning, and then we'll go home." Nash knew that Zoe would resort to this, so he didn't expect to go out again tonight. Nina had to give up. "Okay."Nash took off his suit, leaving only his shirt on, and looked at her
As time passed, he became more mature and composed.Nash noticed her gaze and smirked, "What are you thinking while staring at me like that?"Supporting her chin, Nina, caught off guard, shifted her gaze nervously, "Nothing.""You were clearly stealing glances at me just now," Nash countered.Nina countered back, "If you didn't look at me, how would you know I was stealing glances at you?""Well, I did indeed steal glances at you," Nash admitted frankly. He couldn't help but notice her every move unintentionally.This left Nina unsure of how to respond, feeling her heart pounding rapidly.Nash sliced the steak and handed it to her, "It's cut. Go ahead, eat."Nina cherished his thoughtful care, feeling warmth in her chest instantly. As long as Nash took a step toward her, she felt the world was a much better place.She picked up her fork and knife, saying, "Do you know what I was thinking when I was looking at you just now?"Taking a sip of wine, Nash asked, "What were you thi
For her, it was a memorable experience etched in her heart.For Nash, it was hardly worth mentioning.She felt a bit sad, wondering what was truly memorable to Nash."Why are you silent?" Nash was feeling irritated, seeing her remain quiet. He lifted her chin. "Have I struck a nerve?"Looking into his cold eyes, Nina asked, "Nash, do you have any deeply ingrained memories?"Nash gazed at her, momentarily lost in thought. In his mind, only a vague image of a girl appeared. He shook his head and tightly grasped Nina's hand. "You haven't answered me. Do you really like him that much?"Nina replied, "I do indeed like him very much."This statement ignited a flame of anger in Nash's heart."But..." Before Nina could finish her sentence, Nash angrily kissed her.This came as a surprise to her. Her eyes widened as Nash, consumed by anger, kissed her passionately, his hands gradually moving to her waist.His body was hot, like scalding water, gradually enveloping her."Nash..." Nina
The noisy ringtone added a sense of calm to the scene. Nash got off Nina, his eyes filled with desire, staring at her complexly.The man she liked was named Zac. So he shouldn't take away her most precious thing. He took a deep breath, calming his inner turmoil, then picked up his phone, saw the name on it, and muted it before putting it in his pocket.He became more rational, his voice low and hoarse as he said, "I'm going to take a shower." With that, he headed for the bathroom, the sound of the shower falling soon following.Nina lay quietly on the bed, pretending not to feel disappointed. He could resist temptation, even when it was right in front of him, all to stay faithful to Miranda.Although he didn't say it, she knew the person calling incessantly was Miranda. She had seen the name on the screen.Even drugged, he could maintain his composure. Just how much did he like her?Nina sat up slowly, adjusted her clothes, and got off the bed. Seeing her haggard self in the mirr
Clearly, she liked him very much.The next day, when Nina woke up, she saw Nash tying his tie. Seeing her awake, Nash advised, "There's milk by your bedside. Drink it when you get up."Nina instinctively glanced at the bedside and asked, "Where are you going?" She hadn't forgotten; he had mentioned last night that they would go home once they woke up."I have some things to take care of," Nash replied, looking at her. "I'll have the driver take you home first."Nina sat on the edge of the bed, quietly observing Nash. Nash finished getting ready, and seeing Nina still silent, he approached her, took the milk from the bedside, and handed it to her, saying softly, "Drink it while it's warm."Nina took it and pursed her lips. "I remember you saying before that you don't like this.""It's fine if you like it," Nash replied.Nina looked up, surprised to hear those words from him. At one point, he would frown upon seeing it, or the helpers would inform her that he didn't like milk. Aft
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