"Forget it," Eve said with a smile. "Let's just enjoy ourselves today. Let's go shopping, and I'll get you a nice basket bag. It's practical and stylish!"Nina was already familiar with Eve so she did not hold back. "You're so generous.""Of course, I'm generous to you! If I treat you well, Nash won't give me the cold shoulder," Eve said. She was not fond of Nash's serious demeanor."I'll just change my clothes, and then we can head out." Nina wanted to go shopping, especially since her belly was getting bigger and she needed to buy things for the baby.The two of them headed out, accompanied by a driver and bodyguard. Nina had taken leave from the TV station, but she remained on call if Angel or the station needed anything. Penelope had been discharged from the hospital. The lead role in that production, originally played by Bella, was recast. They wanted Penelope to return to the role, but she declined. Now, they are searching for a new actress to take on the part.Nina and Ev
Nina turned her head. "Is that Nash?"Seeing Nina's look of disbelief, Eve understood that Nina could not accept what she was seeing, which was why she asked.Furious, Eve exclaimed, "That jerk! I thought Nash was different, but it turns out all men are the same!"While Eve ranted, Nina was not really listening. She kept her eyes on them. Miranda was holding Nash's arm, and it looked like they had reconciled. It felt as though everything had gone back to square one.Nina stood rooted to the spot, unable to move. As they approached, Miranda said, "Nash, thank you for buying me such an expensive bag." The joy of receiving a cherished gift from a beloved man was a delight for any woman, and Miranda was no exception."It's nothing, as long as you like it," Nash said softly."If I like something, you'll always get it for me, right?" Miranda asked."Yes.""You treat me so well. I knew I wasn't wrong about you. You're the best man for me. I'll wait for you, wait until you get a
Her gaze fixed on Nash as she asked, "Is it true?"Nash's deep eyes turned cold, locking onto Nina's almost broken expression, yet he remained silent.Nina pressed on, "Are you with Miranda? Tell me, is it true? I only believe you!"Nash remained silent again.Nina's eyes reddened, holding on to the last shred of hope. "If you tell me that it's all a lie, I won't hold it against you. Even if I saw you with her, even if I saw her holding your hand, I'll believe you have a reason. I'll believe you, but why won't you speak? Say something, give me a bit of hope."The more she spoke, the more heartbroken she became. It felt like his proposal, his love, was all just her fantasy. When the dream ended, she had to face the reality that he did not love her.She had truly felt happiness. The man she had secretly loved for years finally chose her, and her efforts over the years had not been in vain. She really believed that. But why had everything changed today?Tears streamed down Nina's
Upon hearing this, Miranda was taken aback. Did Nash not know Nina was pregnant? Or was there another reason?Nash's expression remained unchanged, his deep eyes cold and detached, as if Nina’s affairs no longer mattered to him. Nina had hoped that revealing her pregnancy might change his heart. She was wrong. When a man decided to be heartless, a child meant nothing. Perhaps she should not have told him at all. Her last hope was gone, and her heart was nearly dead."Nash, let's go," Miranda said, leaning against him, breaking the tense silence between them. "Nina, you should have gotten rid of it earlier. You wouldn't be in this situation now."Nash's gaze returned, slightly unsettled, but he responded coldly and mercilessly, "Let's go. Ignore her. She'll say anything to keep her status as Mrs. York."The two walked past Nina without looking back. As they passed, Miranda bumped Nina's shoulder with a smirk. Nina stumbled back a step, and Eve caught her, looking at their re
Even if the child was born, he would not care. Rather than staying with such a father, it was better if she raised the child alone. The villa was quiet and cold. Nina sat for hours, reflecting on many things. She thought about her youth, how she started working at the same company as Nash, eventually becoming his wife. Despite never getting his attention, she remained patient. When she finally decided to let go and let him pursue his true love, he kept entangling with her. It felt like fate was playing a cruel joke on her, ending in tragedy without giving her a perfect ending. This time, was it really over? She still held onto hope that Nash would not divorce her. She waited, and finally, late at night, Nash returned. He came in a hurry, as if just stopping by briefly. As soon as he arrived, he sat across from her, accompanied by a lawyer.Nina looked at him. He was as cold as ever, reminiscent of their early marriage days. Nash did not look at her. The lawyer took a d
"Shut up!" Nina snapped, her voice trembling with anger. "How can you say something like that? I can't believe I misjudged you so badly!"Nash did not flinch, taking her slap head-on. His cheek reddened, but his lips curled into a cruel, cold smile as he turned back to face her. His eyes were icy, devoid of any warmth. "If this makes you give up on me, then it's a good thing. I'm not the right man for you."Nina trembled and she was heartbroken and devastated. She had never met anyone as cruel as Nash."If your goal was to make me sign, congratulations. You've succeeded. I want this divorce as much as you do!" Nina grabbed the pen and signed her name on the divorce papers. She then flung them at him. "Get out. Get out of my house right now!"Nash's expression remained unchanged, unaffected by her rage. The lawyer quickly gathered the signed papers."It's done, Mr. York," the lawyer said, addressing him.Nash nodded, got up, and walked out without another glance at Nina.As t
She began to imagine how grand her wedding with Nash would be. She envisioned herself as the happiest bride in the world. Just then, Miranda heard footsteps and assumed it was the helper. "You don't need to take care of things here. You can go," she called out.However, the footsteps did not stop. She frowned, growing impatient. "I said you don't need to..."As she looked up and saw who it was, her eyes widened in shock. She quickly removed the face mask and stood up straight. "Dad.""Miranda," the man said, his eyes smiling as he looked at her. "It's been a long time. You've grown into a fine young woman."Miranda stood up and ran to hug him. "Dad, you're finally out. I've missed you so much!"The man was in his fifties and slightly taller than Miranda. He was still looking strong and fit. Patting Miranda’s head affectionately, he said, "You've been through a lot these past few years." "It's nothing compared to what you've endured, Dad. Besides, I'm a star now. With the fam
For her, there was only one way out.---Nina had no idea how she survived the night. It was excruciatingly long and torturous. She lay on the sofa, wide awake the entire time. When she finally became fully alert, it was already the break of dawn.She was exhausted and feeling completely drained.Dragging her weary body to the bathroom, Nina washed her face and looked up, only to be startled by her reflection. She thought she was seeing a ghost. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face haggard and colorless, resembling someone gravely ill.She touched her face in disbelief, questioning how she had come to look like this. Was a broken heart enough to completely bring her down? Could she not live without Nash?The answer was no.Hadn't she already contemplated severing ties and divorcing him long ago? It just so happened that he initiated it this time. She had to move on and live a better life, a hundred times better than before.Nina made up her mind. One night of sadness
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