Nash had heard of this name back in the military, but he could never track down the person."You've never seen him either?" Nash asked.Wilfred shook his head. "He's very secretive. He never shows himself to anyone. He's skilled in both virology and combat. That's all I know about him."Involving this criminal organization made things even more serious. It seemed that Nina might have been caught up in this long ago. This matched with her disappearance for an entire summer during high school, when a criminal gang was busted. Many were captured, and many died. Now, it seemed that one would be released soon, and this Pharaoh was still at large.Nash looked at Wilfred. "Aren't you afraid of the organization retaliating against you for telling me all this?"Wilfred smiled. "I've told you, my purpose for living is to protect her. Besides, I'm a healer. Creating a healer takes a lot of resources and effort. They won't harm me."Wilfred's willingness to risk his life for Nina surpris
Nina was feeling calmer now and she could see how much Nash had been worrying about her. Any hurtful words she had been holding back seemed to dissipate in this moment.She hugged Nash around the waist. "Let's not fight anymore. Let's talk things through calmly, okay?""Okay," Nash responded softly.Nina noticed something off. "Why just one word? Are you upset?""No," Nash said gently, stroking her face. "You've said we won't fight anymore. How could I be upset about that?"Nina gazed into his eyes. "What if you've lost faith in me and are planning to leave me? Then everything I've said would be pointless.""That's impossible," Nash reassured her. "We won't be separated.""You won't divorce me?" she asked.They had been arguing about this for a long time. She had often brought up divorce. But now, thinking about all that Nash had done for her, she realized things were not as bad as they seemed. She might never find another person like Nash, and their baby needed a father. G
"I can teach you," Nash offered.Nina's mood brightened. "Great! Then I don't have to find a teacher, I'll just learn from you.""Let's talk about it later," Nash said. "You've been cooped up in the hospital for a while. Let's go out and have some fun."Nina linked her arm through his and said in her playful voice. "I want some candy apples and donuts.""You sure love sweets.""Well, I'm pregnant. My cravings change all the time."It was a rare opportunity for Nina and Nash to spend time together. She felt happy and content, a feeling she had not experienced before. She wished this happiness could last forever.James drove while they sat in the back. The motion of the car made Nina feel tired, and she soon leaned against Nash's shoulder. Seeing this, Nash gently supported her head, letting her rest more comfortably. Eventually he placed her head on his lap. Normally, Nina would wake up, but this time, she seemed deeply asleep.This worried Nash. He feared the day might come
The man in front laughed when he heard this. "Loving your wife brings good fortune? What nonsense! I don't believe in such superstitions at all! Let me ask you, have you gotten rich? Hahaha.""The fact that she's not wasting money is already good enough. Expecting to get rich is ridiculous," the man behind said. "We should save money wherever we can. If she weren't pregnant, I wouldn't even be here!"The men in front and behind Nash seemed to share the same mindset."Believe what you want," Nash replied coldly. He did not agree with their views at all. How extravagant could his wife really be? They had not complained about these things when they got married. If they did not believe in marriage, why did they get married in the first place?Seeing Nash's cold expression and realizing he did not agree with them, the men refused to believe Nash was rich at all."Don't ignore what we're saying. Just by looking at you, I can tell you've only been married for a short while, still in
Before the man could reach Nash, James stepped in and twisted his arm, causing him to cry out in pain."Ouch, ouch, ouch!"James, a trained fighter, was always on high alert. Anyone making a move towards them would not get far. He quickly neutralized the threat, leaving no opportunity for the attacker to act."You okay, Captain?" James asked."I'm fine."Seeing James in his camouflage uniform and realizing his skill level, the men suddenly became very respectful towards Nash, realizing they had messed with the wrong person.They quickly came to their senses and apologized. "We're sorry, boss. We were out of line. We shouldn't have said those things!""You're right, loving your wife does bring good fortune!""Please don't hold it against us. We didn't know who we were dealing with!"Nash had not said much, but the men were already scared. They feared losing their jobs, which would be far worse than not getting rich.Nash, now in a better mood, did not bother to make things dif
"Ah..." Nina wanted to call out to the little girl, but before she could, a plump white dove flew towards them. Startled, Nina shrank back, fearing the dove might peck her. But then she noticed something in the dove's beak. It was holding a ring. Before she could fully process what was happening, the dove dropped the ring into Nash's hand.She stared in shock as Nash revealed a diamond ring in his palm. The sunlight made the diamond sparkle so brightly it almost hurt her eyes. Instinctively squinting, she watched as Nash slipped the ring onto her finger.Suddenly, applause erupted around them. Nina looked up to see people clapping, their faces filled with admiration and joy. Overwhelmed by the attention, she felt a surge of social anxiety. "What's happening?" she asked in a panic."It's so romantic! Someone's proposing here with all these roses and even a helicopter! It's beautiful!" someone in the crowd exclaimed."Which fairytale princess and prince story is this? If some
"I do!" he blurted out without hesitation. He wanted Nina to live more than anything, even if it meant sacrificing his own life."If that's the case, then why are you doing this? You proposed to her and gave her all those things. What about me?" Miranda was nearly hysterical, completely losing her composure. She could not bear it. Why did everything that should have been hers go to Nina? It was she who should have married Nash. It was she who should be enjoying this kind of proposal.Nash looked over at Nina, who was radiating happiness and wearing a genuine smile. This was what he had always hoped to see. He had seen her so many times before, always distant and indifferent, showing no joy or sorrow about their marriage. He had always wanted to see her feel happiness from their marriage. Now, finally, she was truly smiling because of him, and he felt a deep sense of fulfillment.Turning his gaze back, his expression grew serious, and he gripped his phone tightly. "I won't
At this moment, as Miranda tried to deceive Nash, she was also deceiving herself. She desperately wanted to be clean, to have a spotless reputation. She had given her heart and soul to Nash without having any ulterior motives. This was her attempt to redeem herself.However, from the moment Miranda poisoned Nina, her true nature was revealed to Nash. His expression grew serious. This was not just about the threat to Nina, but also about Miranda's hidden identity. His eyes turned cold. "You say you nearly sacrificed yourself for me? I used to never doubt your intentions, but now I see it clearly. You saved me to clear your own name, to distance yourself from your role as an accomplice!"Miranda's pupils contracted slightly, and she was speechless for a long time. He knew. Panic flashed across her face, unsure of what to say. This was something she could not admit! Who would want to be associated with them? She was trapped by her circumstances. She was born into such
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