"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
Miranda looked bewildered and surprised, "What did I miss? Why can't I hear anything? Do I have some illness?""No," the assistant comforted her.Nash stood nearby, carefully observing Miranda's every move. Her every action indeed resembled those from the past, as if she was experiencing memory loss.After staring for a while, he typed a message to her, "There are many reporters outside wanting to interview you. Do you want to go and talk to them?"Miranda naturally refused, "I don't want to."Waking up from her sleep, Miranda suffered from memory loss and became a true victim.As for the video, Nash knew it was uploaded by her assistant, Ruby.When questioned about the incident, the assistant boldly admitted, "I'm the one who uploaded the video. Miranda was bullied, and no one came to her defense. So, I left it to the netizens to judge. She had no one to stand up for her, but she had fans supporting her, and I'm one of them. Mr. York, if you want to punish someone, punish me. B
"Are you talking about the trafficking case?" Ben responded, "I remember, it was a very serious criminal case, and I was involved as a defense lawyer."At that time, there was no public trial. There were many dark things involved and he had a strong impression of it."Yeah." Ben was no stranger to this matter. Nash then said to him, "It was also around this time that Miranda left the country without notice."Ben added, "It might just be a coincidence. Miranda is just a girl. She shouldn't be involved in such a big case."If she was involved in this case, it would probably involve even more people around her. It would also indicate that Miranda was not simple.Ben had very little contact with Miranda. He had been friends with Nash for many years, and had only met her a few times. He wouldn't befriend her either."Let's hope not."Nash could only say that, "But you know, even though the case was solved, the mastermind behind it was never caught.""There were many suspicious point
Nina hesitated for a moment. "Aunt Zoe got into trouble because of me. How can I not get involved? I know you want to protect Miranda, but Aunt Zoe has been subjected to so much online abuse. She needs to clear her name. She shouldn't be bullied like this!""It's not as simple as you think," Nash said with a meaningful tone.But Nina smiled. "I know it's not simple. Miranda is not a simple person, and if she can do it, others can too. You may not want to help, but I will find a way to help Aunt Zoe.""I didn't say I wouldn't help Zoe," Nash added.Nina looked at Nash, somewhat incredulous. "Didn't you ask Miranda to move to Riverside Estate? I'll be with Zoe these days. If she has any problems, I'll protect her!"Just now in the hospital room, Nash's words could not have been clearer. Even Zoe was on the verge of severing ties with him. Nina had hoped that regardless of the circumstances, Nash would not let things escalate further. Unfortunately, she was mistaken. For Miranda's
Nina and Zoe were holding hands. At this moment, Zoe was very angry and had already cursed Nash numerous times. Nina said, "Aunt Zoe, you still have me to keep you company. You won't be lonely.""Back then, everyone wanted sons, but daughters are so much better. Daughters are more caring and affectionate. Look at Nash, the only child of our York family. He just keeps upsetting me. Now, he doesn't even acknowledge me as his aunt." Zoe complained, feeling her blood pressure rising at the thought.Nina still tried to comfort Zoe, "Perhaps Nash has some hidden troubles?""What hidden troubles!" Zoe snapped, her anger flaring. "I don't want to talk about him anymore. Every word feels like a stab in my heart. Let's just go, the farther away from them, the better!"She did not want to stay in the hospital any longer."I just asked the doctor. Deafness can also be artificially induced," Nina said.Nina was still worried about Zoe. The internet was a breeding ground for gossip, and spre
"I’ve got to remember it. If I don't, people will think I’m heartless, and how will I get by in this world?" Zoe was also a generous person. Scott did not refuse either. "Alright, I'll count you as a friend."Zoe and Scott got along well with each other.Soon, they arrived at Scott's residence. It was a spacious flat. There were security guards downstairs, keeping watch twenty-four hours a day."How do you feel about it?" Scott asked them."It's quite nice, Scott. We're not that particular," Zoe said."Then you'll stay here tonight. I used to live in this house. There's still some clutter inside, so I'll tidy it up today," Scott suggested."Wouldn't that be too much trouble?" Nina asked."Not a bother at all. Besides, it all needs to be tidied up anyway. I've already called my assistant to come over." Scott, upon learning about their ordeal, had thought they needed a completely new place. He had it prepared since early on."Alright." Nina looked at Zoe and accepted Scott’s ki
Upon hearing this, a look of astonishment appeared on Scott's face. "How is that possible? It's supposed to be Nina."At that time, he had already developed feelings for Nina. He cared about her so much that he rushed back to the country overnight.The assistant, holding the newspaper, also found it incredulous. He thought he might have made a mistake. "I remember you mentioning that you and Nina were classmates, but this person is one grade below you," the assistant remarked.With that, Scott's expression registered another wave of shock. He hurried over, taking the newspaper and examining it closely. Despite its age, the newspaper was well-preserved. The headline was clear, detailing a murder case at a certain high school, with casualties listed, and the only survivor being...Scott stared blankly, unable to believe it. He blinked a couple of times, afraid he might be seeing things wrong. Suddenly, it felt as if this newspaper was not the same one he had seen before. The survivor
Scott was completely puzzled. Back then, he was so focused on Nina that he overlooked crucial information and likely misinterpreted things. But what about Nina's real experiences? Could it be that the newspaper was mistaken? Seeing Scott lost in thought since earlier, Nina asked, "What are you thinking about, Scott?" Scott snapped out of his daze and replied, "Nothing, let's just order takeout." "Already done," Nina said. "Aunt Zoe might have some beer. Would you like some too?" "Sure." The two left the study. Zoe was calmly watching TV on the sofa. For her, watching TV was just a way to pass the time, and the TV was airing her scandal. Nina walked over and joined Zoe in watching TV. They saw Michelle in the hospital room. "Look at the camera. This is our victim, Miss Miranda. Miss Miranda, can you still hear us?" Miranda resisted the camera a bit. "Stop filming. I don't want to be interviewed." "Miss Miranda," Michelle called again. "I can't hear. I don't know what
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