Nash was unaware, but Scott was. She had truly kept it to herself, not mentioning it to anyone.Scott's words resonated with her deeply. If someone paid even a bit of attention to her, they would recognize the person reflected in the depths of her eyes.The absence of attention meant ignorance. This indirectly suggested that Nash did not know about her feelings because he hadn't focused on her.She felt immensely sad. Scott's heart ached sharply. He had never seen Nina cry so intensely. It was merely Nash tearing up their marriage certificate, seemingly a trivial act, yet it left Nina utterly devastated. Scott embraced her, gently patting her back. "I understand your sadness. I understand you. You're not wrong. There's nothing wrong with liking someone.""I was wrong," Nina shook her head. "I was wrong from the beginning. I thought I was special, but I was just a passing figure in his life. It was wrong from the start!"She liked him because Nash had saved her, and she believe
In Nina's perspective, she could not allow herself to affect others. Though she did not always succeed, within her capabilities, she had to make it happen."You're not him, so why do you think you're holding him back?" Yvonne remarked again. "It's the modern era now with emotional freedom and marital freedom. Don't confine yourself. So what if you have a child? You'll still be living together in the future. Besides, he doesn't mind. Why do you? You're just too considerate, always afraid of others being at a disadvantage, while they consider it a blessing!"Nina looked at Yvonne. Their views on relationships were different. Yvonne was carefree, true to herself. When it was time to break up, she did it without feeling indebted. But Nina was different."I don't like him enough," Nina told her.Yvonne did not see it as an issue. "You haven't even dated. How can you be sure you won't like him? Love can grow over time.""What if I let him down?" Nina pondered deeply. " Relationships sho
Nina suddenly realized, "So he knew all along." She had not said anything, but Scott understood it all too well.Yvonne looked at her and chuckled, "That's why not everyone can remain committed, Nina. Just be content." Nina fell into deep thought. What did she have to be discontented about? The two chatted for a while longer before Yvonne emerged. Scott was still standing at the doorway. Seeing Yvonne come out, he asked, "Is she feeling better?"Yvonne said, "Your mind is all on Nina. She's much better now. Don't worry, she's coming to terms with it. In her marriage with Nash, she had already envisioned the ending, though she still harbored dreams of growing old with him if luck was on her side. But dreams eventually must yield to reality."Scott fell silent, a trace of worry crossing his face. These years must have been tough on Nina too.Yvonne walked over, gripping the railing of the corridor. "I put in a good word for you."Taking a deep breath, she looked out the window.
"I'm not upset," Scott replied. "I know," she continued, "I’m referring to me. But Scott, I have to tell you, I'm not ready to accept another relationship.""What was I thinking?" Scott chuckled. "Don't underestimate me. I admit I'm selfish, but I want to help you more than anything. Despite our feelings, I still consider you my best friend.""What's so good about me?" Nina did not understand, making him worry for so many years.Scott paused for a moment, then simply said, "You're very kind."Nina smiled again. Scott stayed by her side until she fell asleep. As he watched her up close, he reached out to touch her face, noticing the furrow between her brows even in her sleep. He gently smoothed it away, then whispered in her ear, "Nina, I'll never ask you for anything, because everything I have now is thanks to you." With that, he tucked her in, hoping she would sleep well and be free from worries in this life.---Nina was awakened by the sound of her alarm clock. As she
Nina could not relax and was about to go find Zoe. Before she could, she saw Zoe walk in unharmed."Nina, look what I brought you. I noticed you've been feeling nauseous lately, so I brought some sour and appetizing pickles for you, and also this - your favorite soup.""Zoe."Nina's relieved heart sank back down, and she immediately ran over to hug her. Seeing her so excited, Zoe put down what she was holding."What's wrong? You're all grown up, yet you're acting so impatient!" Zoe teased.Nina let go and looked at her carefully. "Were you hurt? Did anyone throw stones at you?""What nonsense! How could I possibly get hurt? Don't forget what your aunt does. Who could dare to bully me!" Zoe rolled her eyes."Haven't you seen the news? Your beauty salon was vandalized. How could I not worry?" Nina was deeply concerned.Zoe sat down, crossed her legs, and took out a handful of nuts from her pocket, munching on them casually. "Let them vandalize. They'll have to pay for the damages
Worries would always find a way to surface. This not only affected Zoe but also the company. Nash watched the video briefly. The video captured from this angle was taken at the entrance. It could have been secretly filmed by someone with an agenda or by one of the people present at the scene. At that time, they were all present, making it unlikely for any of them to have filmed it, but he overlooked another possibility. This could work to their advantage."Find a way to suppress the hot search topics," Nash instructed. "Minimize the losses."As an outsider to the entertainment circle, Zoe was accustomed to her freedom, making it difficult for her to deal with the various rumors and controversies on the internet. The power of the internet remained formidable. He did not want anyone to influence her in any way."Understood, Mr. York."They would have to work overtime to suppress the trending topics. After sorting out the trivial matters of the entertainment company in a meeting,
"Is it true? Can we trust the news?" Upon hearing Michelle's words, they still asked for confirmation."It's true. I'm prepared to stay here all night. We've got the hospital surrounded from all sides. The moment Miranda appears, even if we only catch a glimpse of her, it's still a win!" Michelle assured them."Well then, we'll all stay here. I refuse to believe they won't come out!" They had been waiting here for a whole day, closely following any news about Miranda. They could not go wrong by staying here.However, Michelle's assistant asked, "Michelle, do we really have to wait here indefinitely?"Michelle was also pondering how they could see Miranda. Even if they only caught a shadow, it would be worth it. "We can't just sit around waiting to die."She looked at the nurses ahead and suddenly had an idea.Handing everything over to them, she said, "You guys stay here and keep watch. I'm going to take a look inside.""Michelle, the hospital is guarded. How do you plan to ge
"Who... who are you? I don't know you. Nash, who is she, who are they all?" Miranda looked at the assistant with a puzzled expression.Everyone was stunned for a moment.The assistant, confused, said, "Miranda, don't you remember me? I'm your assistant, Ruby."Miranda pushed her away abruptly. "Get away from me! Nash, what's happening? Why can't I hear you? Come here, I'm scared!"Zoe was also taken aback by her reaction. She joked, "Started with deafness, now it's memory loss. If this were a drama, it would be too tragic!"Nash walked over.Miranda grabbed his sleeve as if he were her lifeline, hiding behind him and looking at everyone. "Nash, who are they, why are they looking at me like that? Get them all out, I'm scared.""You all, leave," Nash ordered.Zoe was furious to see him so easily swayed by Miranda. She snapped, "Nash, she pulls this and you fall for it? Do you even have a brain?""Leave!" Nash emphasized firmly.Seeing him so protective of Miranda and watching h
The woman had deliberately spoken in a vague and ambiguous way. She had been sent by Summer, with Mrs. Lucas's covert assistance. Together, they had schemed to place a helper in the villa with a simple enough task with their combined influence. But to Jamie, the words carried a different implication. This was Lucas’s territory, which meant this woman had likely been instructed by Ben. If Jamie didn’t drink the soup, she was certain Ben wouldn’t let it slide. A wave of bitterness washed over her. “Fine, just leave it over there. I’ll drink it later when I’m thirsty.” “Miss Lewis, I need to personally see you finish the soup before I can leave. If you’re not ready to drink it now, that’s no problem. I’ll just wait here.” The woman placed the tray on the table, pulled a chair over, and sat directly in front of Jamie. Her stare was unrelenting, her attitude clear. She wasn’t leaving until the job was done. If it had been anyone else in Jamie’s place, the woman wouldn’t da
“Don’t beg me. If begging worked, I’d have begged Ben not to leave a long time ago,” Winnie said as she wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes. “Here’s the deal. I called to make one thing clear. Everything you owe me, I’m going to take back, bit by bit, through Charlie. He’s your son, and they say the sins of the mother fall on the child.” With that biting remark, Winnie hung up without hesitation.Clutching her phone, her chest ached with a deep, lingering pain. The masked man approached, standing by her side. “Winnie, what’s the point of all this? You’re clearly full of hate for Jamie, but instead of taking it out on her, you’re here looking after her kid. I don’t get you sometimes.“If it were me,” he continued, “I’d grab this opportunity and make her suffer. Why are you holding back?”Winnie shook her head. “Charlie calls me his aunt, and besides, it’s not right to blame a child for the mistakes of adults.”She might despise Jamie, but Winnie couldn’t bring herself
On the day of the engagement banquet, Ben’s phone appearing near Jamie should have been a warning sign, but she missed it. Later, she had warmly welcomed Jamie into her home, showering her with care. She had even worried that Ben might dislike Jamie and tried to help them get along. And what happened in the end? While she had been tirelessly caring for them, the two of them ended up in bed together. Now, they were living under the same roof, while she and her child were left with nothing. How could Winnie not harbor resentment? Especially when she looked at Charlie, a chilling thought crept into her mind: If her own child’s life was ruined because of Jamie, then shouldn’t she retaliate by ruining Jamie’s child? An eye for an eye. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Every time Charlie called her "Aunt Winnie" with such innocence, it reminded her of the bond between them. How could she be so heartless? “I’m in Ben’s villa. He won’t let me leave,” Jamie
Ben gripped Jamie's chin tightly, his voice firm and unyielding. When Jamie had disappeared from his life, he had exhausted every possible means, called in countless favors, and poured his energy into finding her. But he had failed. Just when he was on the verge of giving up, he had met Winnie. It felt like fate had stepped in, intertwining their paths once more, as if destined for a lifetime of entangled love and hate. If that was his reality, then he would play along with it.“Instead of plotting ways to escape from me, why don’t you focus on apologizing? Show me some sincerity, and maybe I’ll make your life a little easier,” Ben said.Jamie’s lips curved into a bitter smile. She knew what he wanted.He wanted an apology and an attitude of remorse. But she also knew she had no leverage to stay by his side.Even if she played along now, making him happy temporarily, there was no future for them. Mrs. Lucas’s disdain for her was an insurmountable mountain, and she couldn’t see
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