Nina found it rather ironic that Nash brought up something that had not been mentioned before, "I'm your secretary, with all those cars in your garage, what do I need a car for now?" Judging by Nash's current behavior, it seemed like he was trying to use these things to persuade her to stay."You can't possibly expect to keep using my car for every outing, or rely on taxis."Nash sat in the back seat, and since Nina was driving, his view was fixed forward, unable to see her facial expression. Yet, from her tone, Nash could sense that she was not at all interested in this matter."I use your car for work-related purposes. If I were to buy a cheap car for personal use, wouldn't people think poorly of me as your secretary? Would you not feel embarrassed by that?" Nina's words were delivered with clarity.Nash pursed his lips slightly. But before he could respond, Nina cut in again: "And if I were to buy a luxury car, given my position, wouldn't I be ridiculed?"She did not own a car,
After a moment's thought, Nash decided to accompany Stella. "Let's go," he said. And that was how Nina was left behind. She had no intention of staying in the private room to face Stella's assistant, especially considering that Peter's son's first celebration party was also scheduled for today. Yvonne would surely come, so Nina started contacting Yvonne while heading out. But before she could reach Yvonne on the phone, someone spotted her."Hey, isn't this our classmate, Nina? Now that she's Mr. York's secretary, she's lost even the most basic human decency!""That's right! First, she brushed off our classmate Mike with 1,000 bucks, saying she had something else to do and couldn't make it. And now she's here.""Didn't you see her just coming out of the private room?""Tsk! She doesn't want to see classmates, but she's got plenty of time to serve the big boss!"...Nina originally did not want to pay attention to these people, but their words became increasingly offensive. The
Even if these people could not be sent to jail, they could at least be criticized and educated."Nina, you've reached a new low in being malicious!""The real malicious ones are you all! If it weren't for me, you would've already ganged up on her!" Scott scolded these women discontentedly.Never did he imagine that women could be this wicked towards each other."Are we not allowed to defend ourselves?" The woman with short hair remained brazen.Scott was about to say more when Nina grabbed his arm. "There's no point in reasoning with these inhumane creatures," she said.Scott felt a flutter in his heart.Because Nina had reached out to pull him!Although it did not necessarily signify anything, but to him, Nina was the girl he fancied the most, the one he loved but could not have. The simple fact that Nina could make such a gesture towards him filled him with immense joy.However, this scene was observed all too clearly by the returning Nash. The coldness in his eyes and the h
Nina said, "Forget it, there’s no need." Sometimes she did not understand Nash that well. Whenever they met, he would be somewhat unpredictable. If explanations were something he could listen to, he would not have turned around and left."Scott, thanks just now." Regardless, Scott's appearance helped her out of trouble. Scott gave a gentle smile, "It was nothing."Just as Scott was about to say something else, Nina interjected, "I'm going back to the private room. If you're free another day, I'll treat you to a meal.""I'm free tomorrow afternoon." Knowing Nina's offer was just a formality, but he took it seriously. Nina hesitated for a moment before nodding, "I'll send you the address tomorrow.""Great." Scott watched Nina leave with a smile.---Though Nash turned around, he was followed by Stella. However, he did not go and watch the fireworks display with Stella. He stopped in his tracks and distanced himself from her, saying, "Miss Jasper, I'm not interested in the fir
When he applied for the job, Quincy made it clear to him about the relationship between Nina and himself.Since getting into the car, Nash had been chain-smoking, a clear indicator of the tension between them. Moreover, Nash's instructions to his subordinate about keeping tabs on Nina, along with his recent attempt to open the car door, did not go unnoticed.Nash narrowed his eyes. As for the new driver, Nash merely glanced at him. He was tall, thin, with slightly dark skin.A cold smirk played at the corner of Nash's lips. "Didn't Quincy inform you about the rules?"The driver kept his head down. "Assistant Quincy did, Mr. York. I know I shouldn't speak out of turn, but I once had regrets. My wife and I were like this. We had conflicts, misunderstandings, and I never apologized, nor did she explain. Later, when I left home to earn a living, she had someone else's child. And then, I lost her forever."Nash pursed his lips, then after a few seconds of silence, he spoke in a low, co
Nina remained calm and said lightly, "I'm just stating the facts.""You..." Sally was itching with anger, but then she heard movement outside the door and saw Nash entering from outside."Nash, you came back just in time. Look at how your lovely wife here is talking back to me. Does she have any manners?" She stood up and quickly complained to Nash.Nash strode in, his gaze deep as he glanced at Nina before turning to Sally. "If you don't provoke her, why would she talk back to you? Nina has always been gentle when she's with me."He walked over to Nina in just a few steps.His towering figure made Nina feel a sense of oppression, especially coupled with the strong smell of tobacco emanating from him.She could not help but look up at him.Seeing the two of them together, Sally was almost stomping her feet, angrily saying, "You, you really don't care about me anymore!""Go upstairs and wait for me," Nash said, tossing the words at Nina.Nina snapped back to reality, complying
He made such demands of her, but did he ever demand the same of himself? Nash furrowed his brows. "What about me?"Nina looked at him, suddenly unsure whether she should ask. Perhaps she did not have the courage to face it in her heart. She clenched her fists and averted her gaze. "It's nothing."Seeing her uneasy expression and sensing her hesitation to speak, Nash knew something was on her mind. Just as he was about to inquire, there was a knock at the door."Sir, ma'am!" the helper called out.Nash went to open the door. The helper handed him an invitation. "Sir, this is an invitation from the Gibson family.""You can go," he instructed the helper.Nash opened the invitation, which was for the seventieth birthday celebration sent by Grandpa George. Despite knowing Grandpa George for so long, he rarely attended his birthday celebrations. They had an unspoken agreement not to disturb each other excessively. This time, sending the invitation meant that it was an important occ
Nina walked over and took the dress out of the gift bag. It was a dark green evening gown with a flowing skirt and a strapless cut, crafted from luxurious fabric that felt like a dream against her skin. She had been browsing fashion magazines lately and instantly recognized it as haute couture from a top designer.Although she could not recall the designer's name, she knew their clothes typically started at a hundred thousand dollars. Suddenly, she remembered the dress Nash bought for Miranda for two hundred thousand dollars.Glancing at him, she remarked, "That must have cost quite a bit."Money was just a number to Nash and what mattered was Nina's happiness. "I thought it would suit you perfectly when I saw it," he replied."And was the one you bought for Miranda just as fitting for her?" Nina blurted out without thinking, instantly regretting her words. How could she bring up such a sensitive topic, embarrassing them both?She bit her lip, expecting Nash to scold her for being
Unfortunately, Ben couldn’t see through any of this. Summer, however, wasn’t the least bit intimidated. Shaking her head confidently, she said, “I’ve never done anything to upset him. I don’t believe that just exchanging a few words with him would make him kick me out.”Mrs. Lucas opened her mouth, about to say something, but seeing Summer’s confident demeanor, she hesitated. Maybe, just maybe, Ben might actually feel too awkward to reject her outright. And if a little covert manipulation were added into the mix…Suddenly, Mrs. Lucas had an idea. Hearing it, Summer’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Mrs. Lucas, that’s an excellent plan! We should act quickly before he does anything else irrational.” “Alright.” Though the plan was solid, the two of them decided to put it into action three days later. Meanwhile, Ben hadn’t been to the office lately, but he was still keeping track of all the firm’s cases. He was also trying to reach Winnie, but while her phone would ring,
Ben wanted nothing more than to wring Jamie's neck after hearing her cold, cutting words. “I don’t need your lectures,” he growled. Human nature? Didn’t she think he knew enough about it already? He had seen it in every case he handled, and he had learned it the hardest way through her betrayal. When he fell for Jamie, it had been with the intent to marry her, to share a future. But she had stabbed him in the back without hesitation. And yet, when he tried to hate her, tried to wish for her downfall, he couldn’t bring himself to follow through. “Stay here and reflect on your actions, Jamie.” Ben knew her well enough. If she cried, begged for forgiveness, he would soften. But she didn’t. Instead, all she cared about was that child, the child he refused to acknowledge. “Fine,” he thought grimly. “Let’s see how long that bastard can survive.”*Meanwhile, Ben’s mother, Mrs. Lucas, had failed to convince him to cut ties with Jamie. This left her in a tough spot, especial
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