"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
"Who were you on the phone with? You've been talking for quite a while," Nina asked. Although she had been waiting patiently nearby, she could not help but notice Nash on the phone for so long. Her curiosity got the better of her.Nash slipped his phone into his pocket, reached out to take her hand, and pulled her into his arms. "Conference call, some urgent business came up. Sorry to keep you waiting."Nina shook her head and smiled at him. "Urgent matters are important. I don’t mind. I was just worried seeing you frowning, thinking you were upset."Nina was a keen observer, especially when it came to her husband. She was always concerned if something was troubling him."I'm not upset," Nash said with a smile. "Today is a great day for us. How could I be unhappy? Today is the happiest day of my life!" He kissed her on the cheek.Nina wrapped her arms around his neck. "There's something that will make you even happier."Nash held her waist, pressing his forehead to hers. "What
"You need to take better care of yourself," Eve said. "I told Grandpa that I'd stay with you for a few days, and I even brought my luggage!"At that moment, someone was loading Eve's luggage into their car."Great, we’ll have Nash cook for us," Nina replied."Really?" Eve's eyes lit up. "That’s awesome! He should definitely be the one cooking while you relax!"Returning to the villa felt like coming home for Nina, even though it had been a while. Eve, being a foodie, had already bought plenty of snacks before they even arrived. It was clear she intended to stay for a while and was more than happy to share her treats with Nina.As they watched TV together, the news reported a body found in the suburbs, with the internal organs removed.Eve's face turned pale. "There are so many bad people these days. Who would do something like that, to remove all the organs?"Nina recalled James's slip of the tongue earlier. He mentioned something about the suburbs. Could Nash have gone to t
Caleb organized the medications and explained everything meticulously. "These are oral meds, three times a day after meals," he said.Caleb noticed that Ben’s eyes were fixed on Jamie. At that moment, his face was filled with worry and urgency."It's just a fever," Caleb reassured. "The shot's been given, the IV is running, and the meds are sorted. What else is there to worry about? I'll write out the steps for the IV change—"Before Caleb could finish his sentence, Ben shot him a sharp look that cut him off immediately.Fine, Caleb thought, throwing his hands up mentally. He would stay until the IV was done. Better that than risk being bombarded with Ben’s relentless calls later if anything went wrong. Caleb simply wasn’t up for that kind of torture.Although Jamie on the bed hadn’t woken up, Caleb didn’t want to stick around any longer. He had no interest in watching Ben fuss over her like some lovesick fool.Not long after Caleb left, Jamie stirred. Seeing Ben sitting by her b
Jamie was in a terrible state. Her injuries from shielding Ben during the stabbing incident hadn’t healed, and now, thanks to Summer’s scheming, she had developed a fever soaring to a dangerous 104 degrees Fahrenheit.Lying in bed, delirious and motionless, Jamie didn’t even realize how bad things had gotten. When the housekeeper came to deliver her meal and saw her lying there unresponsive, panic took over.“Mr. Lucas, Miss Lewis looks like she’s dead!” the housekeeper stammered, trembling with fear.“What did you just say?” Ben shot up from his chair, his piercing gaze locking onto the housekeeper. The housekeeper could barely meet his eyes, shrinking under the intensity of his glare. Ben had never looked so alarmed, his usual composure replaced by a pale, stricken expression.Without waiting for further explanation, Ben bolted out of his study, stumbling as he rushed down the hallway. When he finally reached Jamie’s room, he found her lying in bed, breathing heavily, her face
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