Even Sally could not help but notice that Nina did not return home with Nash. She understood that Nash did not want Nina to witness her unhappy expression or endure any grievances, so he had taken her somewhere else to stay for a while.However, seeing Nash return home alone for several days without Nina left her perplexed. He had not mentioned Nina either, which worried her.She had inquired and found out that Nina had not been to the company for many days. Had they had a falling out?She wanted to ask, but Nash might not disclose everything to her. Especially regarding the matters at Riverside Estate, she could not gather any information.Ultimately, she was Nash’s mother and the lady of this household. But they just did not listen to her, only to Nash. It left her feeling deeply aggrieved. Nevertheless, the crux of the matter lay in whether there was still a chance between Nash and Nina. She needed to find out.As Nash headed upstairs, Sally could not hold back. "Not seeing Nin
The person exchanged a few words with Nina, seeming quite familiar. Nash vaguely remembered him. He was probably someone from his company. After Nina left, he was rummaging through the trash can. Nash furrowed his brows at his behavior, but only he knew the exact truth!---Mike was rushing to finish his programming tasks. In a company as large as the York Corporation, the competition was fierce. Back in his previous job at a smaller company, he was a big shot. But here, there were over a dozen programmers with similar skills and ambitions. To climb up the ladder, he had to stand out. Leaving his former employer with high hopes, he could not afford to slack off, pushing himself hard to meet deadlines. He barely had time for meals, hastily nibbling on a piece of bread to stave off hunger.Just then, with a piece of bread in his hand, Mike felt a crowd gathering around him. He looked up and nearly jumped in surprise, almost dropping his bread. "Mr. York!"Nash's imposing figure sto
Mike wore a puzzled expression, thinking Nash was coming to confront him. But without explaining, Nash only asked about Nina's visit to the hospital.After questioning, he left.What did Nina's pregnancy have to do with him? Mike could not figure it out, but as long as it did not affect his job, he did not mind.Nash stepped into the elevator, hands in his pockets concealing his anger. He spoke in a cold tone, "Find out immediately where Nina is now!"She dared to betray him.Even if she fled to the ends of the earth, he would bring her back!Quincy had never seen Nash so furious, as if he could devour someone. When he began asking about Nina's whereabouts, Quincy could not help but shiver, knowing Nina would face consequences if found!He could only wish her well."Achoo!"Nina sneezed, tears welling up.She wiped her tears with a tissue and continued writing her document.Who could be thinking of her? Her parents? She had just called them a few days ago to assure them sh
In her desperation, she pounded the man's back hard and yelled, "Who are you? Let me go, let me go!" The man did not heed her words, letting her hit and shout as he continued walking briskly. Nina was too anxious and agitated to think clearly. All she wanted was to break free from his grasp. She had only been in this place for a few days, unfamiliar with the environment and unsure if there were any thieves or criminals around. She feared getting hurt and her first instinct was to escape the danger.But no matter how hard she pounded, the man showed no intention of harming her. This was not the behavior of a criminal. Plus, even though she was yelling loudly, he did not seem afraid. Could it be...Just as she began to piece things together, she found herself gently placed back on the ground. When she saw his face clearly, Nina's expression changed completely. "You..."But before the words could leave her lips, Nina realized that their relationship had deteriorated to this point,
"How about the baby in your belly?" Nash almost shouted, his eyes blazing with fury. Hearing his voice, Nina's pupils shrank in shock. He suddenly discovered her pregnancy, catching her completely off guard and momentarily leaving her unable to provide a rational explanation.Seeing her stunned expression, Nash knew it was all true. He sneered coldly, "No words? You're the first person to betray me in my entire life. How should I punish you?"Nina felt the heat and danger emanating from his large, powerful hands. She wondered how he managed to find her a few days later, only to realize that he had learned about her pregnancy.Staring into Nash's menacing eyes, she felt as if he could devour her alive. She dared not tell him the truth. Protecting her belly with one hand, she said, "Nash, even if I am pregnant, I haven't violated our agreement of non-interference between us, as you once said. I hope you'll honor your words. Besides, hardly anyone knows about our marriage. If we divo
Nina slapped Nash hard.Nash did not flinch, he caught her slap head-on, leaving a bright red mark on his face. He tilted his head and then coldly stared at Nina.Nina was also shocked, looking at her hand. She had slapped him with considerable force, and her hand was stinging. Her own reaction surprised her as well. In their seven years together, they had conflicts before, but she had never raised her hand. In fact, she doubted if anyone had ever hit Nash before."Nina..." Nash's voice was filled with menace.Nina withdrew her numb hand, explaining, "I didn't mean to... If you didn't act out, I wouldn't have hit you!"Nash was seething with anger. Nina had the courage to leave him and even to strike him. His clenched fists crackled with tension. His furious demeanor made Nina tremble, fearing he might retaliate with a slap of his own.But Nash just continued to stare at her coldly. "You're willing to do anything for this man!"Nina would not disclose the truth about the child
She even resorted to drugging him! He had only one demand which was to terminate the pregnancy, and she refused! She even wanted to carry someone else's child. How dare she! How dare she utter such words to him! In the end, Nash released her hand, no longer forcing her. However, his gaze was icy, filled with enough disappointment towards her. "Nina, you'll regret this!" His words were firm and decisive. With that said, he paid no attention to Nina's sad expression. Her eyes, slightly teary, showed her strong will as a single tear ran down her cheek, revealing her refusal to give in to him.Nash left without a second glance, disappearing from Nina's view. Nina slowly sank to the ground. Her hands were sore from the tug-of-war and her eyes downcast, filled with indescribable anguish. She was utterly alone. Yet, this solitude was not what she initially desired. It was only after years of disappointment that she thought being alone was preferable and that ending her marriage was
After pausing for several seconds, Nina looked up at Kate. "You want me to interview the CEO of York Corporation?" Kate folded her hands and stood up casually. "Yes, any problem? Interviewing Nash isn't something anyone can handle. You're the most suitable."Nina closed the file and said, "My resume clearly states that I left York Corporation. Aren't you sending me back?"She had left York Corporation without notice. Returning now would be embarrassing.Kate shrugged, unaware of Nina's conflict with Nash. "Just because you came from York Corporation doesn't mean you're off the hook. This task is yours."Nina placed the file on the table. "Chief Editor, I decline this assignment."She did not want any more involvement with Nash.Moreover, he would not treat her well this time. It was a dilemma.Kate insisted, "Didn't I say it before? You need to step out of your comfort zone. Interviewing Nash is a challenge, but I've assigned it to others before. Nash isn't giving anyone an ea
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