Nina stared at the lipstick mark on the shirt for a while, her expression showing little emotion. She understood that attending social events would inevitably encounter flirtatious encounters. However, she had never seen lipstick mark on his shirt before. Nina subconsciously grasped the shirt tightly, causing it to wrinkle in her hands. As the bathroom door opened, Nina snapped out of her thoughts. Nash emerged from inside and noticed Nina standing there motionless. "What are you doing standing there?" he asked. Not sensing Nina's emotions, he glanced at the time and added, "It's late. You usually sleep by now. Can't sleep tonight?" Recently, Nina rarely waited for him to sleep. In the past, she could only sleep soundly when he returned home. Now, sometimes when he came back late, Nina was already fast asleep, no longer waiting for him. Though Nina could sleep whenever she wanted, Nash could not help but notice the difference in these details, which brought a sense of dis
If it required authority, she would notify the other executives. With everyone else unavailable this time, the responsibility fell on her shoulders. "Okay, let's go. You're coming along too.""Okay," Cynthia replied.Nina brought along a few others.Cynthia was new, and she needed to familiarize herself with the company's operations. Along the way, Nina repeatedly reminded Cynthia to be careful and meticulous. There could not be any mistakes.Before long, they arrived at the dock.The ship had already docked, and Jasper Corporation's people were unloading cargo.As soon as Nina stepped out of the car, she heard someone say, "Why isn't it Mr. York who came, but you, Nina? Can you represent Mr. York now?"Turning around, she saw Stella approaching with her arms crossed. Nina replied with a smile, "Mr. York is busy today. Besides, it's not the first time I've represented Mr. York in negotiations with Miss Jasper. I believe you can understand."Stella was increasingly displease
She had heard of Nash and Miranda. As for Stella, she had not heard of her at all. Stella recalled the past, still finding it romantic. At least, there had not been such exciting moments in her life since then. "You wouldn't understand! Nash saved me, and I fell in love with him at first sight. I told him then that I would marry him when I grew up, and he promised. He promised to marry me! That's our agreement," Stella declared passionately.Nina found her words absurd. Wasn't she just a child back then? How could a child's words be taken seriously? Moreover, Stella claiming that Nash had promised her seemed dubious. Nash probably did not even remember Stella, just like he did not remember her. With so many people Nash had helped, it could not have meant anything to him emotionally. "You should ask Nash about that. It's pointless discussing it with me. We still have work to do," Nina responded, uninterested in Stella and Nash's story.However, Stella grabbed her hand, refus
Nina's decision to bite her was a desperate move, hoping to make Stella back off. With Nina positioned at the shore's edge, she plunged straight into the sea when Stella shook her off.She refused to accept such a fate for herself. Even if she were to die, she would not go down alone. In the moment Stella shook her off, Nina swiftly grabbed onto Stella's other hand, and they both fell into the ocean together. With a loud splash, waves erupted around them. Both women struggled in the water, Stella unable to swim, shouting for help. The wind was strong today, causing the waves to surge dangerously high. Nina, though adept at swimming, found herself battling the strong currents. No matter how hard she tried, it seemed like they were drifting farther from the shore. Panic set in. She could not bear the thought of dying, especially with her unborn child at risk. She pushed forward with all her strength, her arms growing heavy with fatigue. But as she looked back at the endless expa
The reporters aimed their microphones at them, numerous devices poised for interviews. "Mr. York, Miss Miranda is a rising star you've nurtured from the start. With her receiving this newcomer award today, is there anything you'd like to say to her?" Facing the camera, Nash replied calmly, "Her hard work has paid off, and I'm genuinely happy for her." Miranda held the trophy in her hands, smiling shyly. The reporter turned to Miranda and continued, "Miss Miranda, today is a great day for you. Your debut film earns you this newcomer award. Shouldn't you be grateful to Mr. York?" The reporters intentionally asked questions about each other, not letting any gossip slip away. Holding the microphone, Miranda responded gently, "I'm delighted to win the award today. This marks my first step into the entertainment industry, and I believe it won't be my last. My success wouldn't be possible without Mr. York. He's the most important person in my life." She glanced at Nash, her eyes revea
Although Nash had clarified his marital status at a previous York Corporation gala, stating he was married, the public remained unaware. Today, he publicly acknowledged his marriage to prevent further speculation about him and Miranda in the media."This can't be a joke, Mr. York. Your marriage shouldn't be such a secret. How come there's been no news about it?""It's not April Fools' Day, Mr. York. Please don't joke around...""I am married," Nash said earnestly. "I've never been one for jokes. My wife has been by my side for seven years, and we've been married for three. We've always been very close. I don't want any of you to misreport and cause misunderstandings with my wife!"Miranda's expression turned somewhat unnatural. Nash publicly acknowledging their marriage was something she had never anticipated. Despite her discomfort, she maintained her composure in front of the cameras, though her fingers tightened in an effort to control her inner anxiety.Nash had always indulge
"Penelope…""I've been through so much to get where I am today. Even if no one watches the dramas I'm in and my popularity declines, it's my own problem. The entertainment industry is vast. Does everyone who's better than me have to be seen as a threat?" "That's not true. It's because Miranda relies on her patron...""Let's not speak ill of others. I don't want to hear that kind of talk. You know me well. I've made plenty of mistakes in the past, so now I need to cherish myself more and protect my reputation."Penelope cherished her future immensely. What she despised the most was using jealousy of others' achievements to elevate oneself. She and Miranda were fundamentally different. She had climbed up from the bottom and understood the hardships within. Miranda, on the other hand, was born with a silver spoon, born into unfairness. Without that privilege, Penelope relied on her own efforts to strive for what she wanted. She believed that one day she would reach the peak.---
She found herself in the ocean, struggling to breathe as she attempted to swim to the surface. But a massive rock pinned her down, leaving her trapped and facing imminent death. As panic gripped her, she screamed, "I don't want to die!""Wake up, miss," a voice called out.Wiping away tears, she realized it was all just a nightmare. Her pillow was soaked with tears, and she was back in the hospital.Fearing for her unborn child, she touched her belly, asking about its well-being. The nurse reassured her, "The baby is fine. Despite signs of miscarriage when you arrived, timely medical attention saved the child."Relieved, she nodded gratefully. "That's a relief. As long as the baby's okay."The nurse then asked if she wanted to inform her family. Looking around, she considered the situation. It was not the same hospital as last time, where acquaintances of Nash might discover her pregnancy. She decided, "Yes, please make a call for me."In less than half an hour, Yvonne arrived, v
“I only had one surgery today,” Caleb said as he drove, his voice calm but firm. “Now that it’s done, I want to know why this happened.” After that, he said nothing more. Vera sat in silence, her heart uneasy as the car pulled up in front of an upscale club. Even though her hand was already bandaged, she still felt a sting of pain every time Caleb showed concern. “So this is what it feels like to have someone care,” she thought to herself.Back when Vera had been stepped on, her only concern had been the contract—whether the deal would fall apart and if her suffering had been for nothing.If it had been anything else, she probably wouldn’t have cared as much.But Caleb’s concern made it impossible for her to brush aside.It kept lingering in her mind, refusing to let her feel indifferent.“Don’t overthink it,” Caleb said, his voice firm. “Whatever happened between Luna and me doesn’t change the fact that this concerns me too—and I owe it to you to make things right.”
“Oh? So this is the apology you wanted?” Vera’s forehead was covered in cold sweat from the pain, but the two women standing over her barely reacted. As if this was normal to them. As if humiliating her was just another game. “I asked you a question.” Vera remained half-crouched on the ground, her hand still pinned under Luna’s heel. Helena smirked. “Yeah, I’d say that’s good enough.” She hadn’t expected Vera to be this stubborn, but it didn’t matter. With an exaggerated sigh, she casually scribbled her signature onto the contract. The deal was officially secured. Vera didn’t waste another second. She cast one last glance at the two women. “I have no interest in getting involved in your personal drama. As for Caleb and me, that’s between us. We both made our choices.” Luna’s expression twisted slightly. “I won’t bother commenting on your relationship,” she said, voice dripping with disdain. “But don’t think for a second that this will ever earn
The moment Vera heard her assistant’s words, her expression darkened. Her previously calm tone turned firm. “If that’s the case, I understand. But I still have to go. This is my responsibility, and no one else can handle it.” If she didn’t take the lead, the other party would only grow bolder. However, the moment she glanced at the name on the negotiation list, she couldn’t help but frown. Because the person she was supposed to meet wasn’t just anyone. It was Helena Xander. Vera had encountered her before—back when her relationship with Caleb hadn’t yet escalated. Even then, Helena had openly mocked her, saying that since Caleb had been Luna’s devoted lapdog for years, he should know his place and never overstep. She had also thrown a few sharp words at Vera, telling her to recognize her own status—as if warning her that getting involved would only bring trouble. Back then, Vera hadn’t taken it seriously. She never thought she would cross paths with the
“Alright, enough of this. If you’re serious about investigating, you’ll need proper psychological evaluations,” Caleb said nonchalantly.“The best way to assess something like this is through clinical observation—watch for behavioral inconsistencies, memory gaps, or personality shifts. If you can, gather video footage of his daily life. That’s the only way to get a clearer picture. Otherwise, it’s just speculation.”Caleb made the remark casually, then swiftly issued a dismissal.“You came all the way here just to mess with me? What about your own situation? How’s that going?” Caleb’s sarcasm was dry and pointed. Hunter let out a long sigh. “What else could it be? Business as usual. Compared to others, I’m probably the only one with enough patience for this mess.” He was, of course, referring to his ongoing battle with Liam. Caleb gave him a small nod. “Alright, you should get going now. I need to rest. Don’t loiter around here.” Without hesitation, he waved his hand
Vera forced an awkward smile at Hunter before quickly retreating back into the bathroom to change. Hunter, watching her leave, couldn't help but smirk. “You’re really living the good life, huh?” he teased. “Didn’t expect you to have such luck.” Caleb rolled his eyes, clearly uninterested. “Enough with the nonsense. Why are you here? And who exactly were you talking about over the phone?” He didn’t want to entertain pointless banter, especially not about women. If he was being honest, even he couldn’t fully explain his feelings toward Luna. He wasn’t sure what was left between them—was it love, or just the remnants of something that had long turned sour? That pitiful look in her eyes earlier had shaken him. For a fleeting moment, he had wanted to pull her into his arms, to comfort her like he used to. But after so many years of being humiliated and pushed aside, he had forgotten how to even speak to her anymore. So instead, he did what was easiest—he change
Hunter spoke casually, his tone light. “Just someone, that’s all. Do you really need all these details?” Caleb was now certain of his suspicion. “Hunter, did you forget what I do for a living? I’m a doctor. If you’re asking me about this, I need to get a clear picture before I can give you an answer.” Hunter exhaled lightly. “That’s fair, but some things can’t be diagnosed right away.” Based on the information Yelena provided earlier, Hunter was only speculating about Liam. But Caleb was an expert in this area, so he specifically called to ask him.Still, explaining everything over the phone wasn’t going to work. “Forget it,” Hunter said. “This isn’t something I can explain over a call. Where are you? I’ll come over.” Caleb hesitated for a moment before glancing at Vera, who was still beside him. In the end, he gave Hunter the address to his villa. Hunter chuckled. “Haha. I’m surprised. You actually do go home to rest.” Caleb ignored the jab and tossed his p
“Call me Liam.” Before Yelena could finish speaking, Liam cut her off with a sharp, angry voice. She quickly nodded and corrected herself. “Liam, don’t worry. I’ll do exactly as you say. I’ll be good. I won’t make you angry again.” But Liam didn’t care. With a violent shove, he threw her to the ground. Yelena barely had time to brace herself before hitting the cold floor hard, pain radiating through her limbs. Liam, however, just looked down at her with a twisted grin, laughing like she was nothing more than a ridiculous joke. “You’d better learn fast,” he sneered. “And leave your hand broken for a few days—feel the pain properly.” “Alright.” Her voice was quiet, submissive. But Liam wasn’t listening. Without another glance, he turned and walked away. As she watched his retreating figure, Yelena felt a deep sense of dread rise in her throat. Liam wasn’t human. He was something far worse. Her future with him would be nothing short of hell.
Yelena had made her stance clear—her loyalty was with Hunter. But instead of being convinced, Hunter let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “You sure your loyalty is to me? Or is it just to money?” His words hit like a slap. Yelena stiffened, feeling the sting of humiliation. It was true. When she had been desperate, with nowhere left to turn, she had thrown herself at Hunter, begging him for help. If she had any other choice, if she hadn’t been pushed into a corner, she would have never given up her pride like that. Lowering her gaze, she spoke with measured calmness. “Mr. Hall, you gave me two hundred thousand dollars. You helped me when no one else did. That makes you my benefactor. And loyalty to one’s benefactor… that’s only right.” She didn’t dare meet his eyes, but her voice was firm. Hunter studied her for a moment before scoffing. “Enough with the useless talk.” His voice was cold and dismissive. “Just go back to Liam’s side and do what you’re suppose
Yelena needed to tell Hunter about this. But before she could finish, Hunter’s cold voice cut through her thoughts. She lowered her head. “This is just how I normally dress. I didn’t deliberately choose my outfit to seduce you, Mr. Hunter. Besides, your brother isn’t even interested in me.” She hesitated before adding, “That two hundred thousand…” Hunter narrowed his eyes. “What are you trying to say?” Seeing his growing impatience, Yelena clenched her fists, still looking down. “I mean exactly what I said. Any normal man wouldn’t turn down a woman who willingly throws herself at him. That night, Liam clearly said he would take me somewhere else… but when we got there, he never touched me. Ever since then, he treats me like I don’t even exist—like I’m nothing but air.” Hunter’s expression darkened instantly. “Are you implying something?” The implication in Yelena’s words was clear. She had just suggested that any normal man wouldn’t refuse a willing woman.