Yvonne felt like she was in a dream, her head spinning. She could see that they loved each other, so how could they divorce so easily? Yvonne asked, "What happened? Nash is such a jerk for changing so quickly. I have to go confront him!"Nina had already accepted the reality. "There's no need. It's better this way. Look, now I have money and a house. I'm a rich lady now. Even if I never work again, I won't starve. You should congratulate me.""That just benefits the other woman!" Yvonne fumed, imagining herself in Nina's position. How could she bear it?"How much can she benefit, really?" Nina said. "Don't worry about it. It's over now.""Got it. I'm just worried about you. Are you okay? Do you need me to keep you company? I've been calling you, and you didn't pick up. I was so worried." Yvonne was genuinely concerned, but she knew Nina was resilient. Otherwise, Nina would not have stayed by Nash's side for so many years like an unyielding weed."If it were me, I'd divorce suc
"Alright," Wilfred said, watching Nina as she left.Nina pedaled her bicycle towards the city center, not far from her home. Nash had left her the most valuable property. It was a busy time, and she stopped at a red light, waiting to cross the street.When the light turned green, she pushed her bicycle across the street. Suddenly, a young man offered, "Let me help you."Nina glanced back and saw a young man pushing her bicycle from behind, seemingly noticing that she was pregnant and might be struggling. Today, she was dressed casually, with her hair in a braid, wearing a straw hat, and a loose dress that revealed a slight baby bump. Apart from her outfit, there was little to indicate she was pregnant.She was not weak enough to need help, but not wanting to waste his goodwill, she said, "Thank you." Once she crossed the street, the young man headed in the opposite direction. She continued riding her bicycle along the non-motorized vehicle lane.For some reason, she noticed th
When Nina came out of the restroom, she saw the shop owner standing nervously by the door. Sweat was dripping from his forehead as if he had seen something terrifying.Seeing her, the owner greeted her like an important guest, "Oh, miss, you're finally out! My goodness, I can't buy this ring. Please, take it back!"He hurriedly handed the ring back to Nina."Why won't you buy it?" Nina asked, confused. "We agreed on ten thousand.""I can't, I can't!" the owner insisted, almost shoving her out the door. "I can't afford this ring. Please, go sell it somewhere else!"With that, Nina was practically pushed out of the store. She turned back to see the owner shut the door tightly, clearly closing up shop.Seeing him like this, Nina found it very strange. She had just used the restroom, and now the owner was acting like this?Nina took out her phone and saw the ten thousand the owner had transferred to her. "I haven't refunded the money yet..."There was no response from inside the st
Nina took the heavy bag from the young man’s hands. "If you won’t tell me, then don’t help. I’m not used to accepting help from strangers.""Take it easy!" the young man was worried that she might fall from exerting too much strength and tried to caution her.Nina placed the bag in the bicycle basket and prepared to leave. She rode slowly, aware that the young man was still following her. Nina glanced at him, her patience wearing thin. She got off the bicycle and raised her voice, "Why are you following me? Either stop following me or tell your boss to come out, or I’ll call the police!"Seeing her fierce demeanor, the young man hesitated. He received some instructions through his earpiece and decided to leave.Once he was gone, Nina continued her ride but could not shake the feeling of being watched. She wondered if someone had been keeping an eye on her the entire time she had been staying at home.Determined to find out, she pretended to lose control of her bicycle, wobbling
Nash turned his gaze away. "Just driving on this road!" he retorted.His stubbornness only made Nina more frustrated. They continued in this awkward stalemate, with Nina pedaling ahead and his car following behind. Seeing him trailing her like a shadow, Nina decided to head in the opposite direction from home. This made Nash frown even more. He signaled her with a honk and said in a low voice, "This isn’t the way to your house!""I never said I was going home," Nina replied. "Can't I just go for a walk?"She added mockingly, "But what a coincidence, Mr. York. You’re still on the same road as me."Nash remained silent. Nina, filled with anger, was puzzled by Nash's behavior. He was the one who asked for the divorce, yet he was the one following her now.She finally stopped, turned around, and faced him with a stern expression. "Are you done or what?"Nash looked up and asked, "What’s the matter?"Nina parked her bicycle and walked right up to him. Her voice was sharp and cutt
"Not taking more rest?" Wilfred asked, walking beside her."No, if I keep staying home, I’ll go crazy. I need to get back to normal life."Even though she could live comfortably in the villa with no worries, life would feel meaningless without something to do."Alright."Nina returned to her job. As soon as she arrived, Angel bombarded her with questions.She didn't want to answer anymore. "What you see is what you get. Just focus on work!"Angel felt as frustrated and upset as Yvonne had been. But since Nina did not want to talk about it, she stopped asking. However, the office buzzed with conversations."Have you seen the latest trends? Miranda’s popularity is through the roof!""Yeah, it’s because of the news about her marrying Nash. That came out of nowhere!""Rumors about them have been circulating for a while, but I never thought they’d come true. It's like a plot from a romance novel!""Did you see the livestream where Nash proposed to another girl? That girl didn’t lo
"Just because something is popular now doesn't mean it will be well-received once it airs. The higher the expectations, the greater the potential for disappointment," Nina said slowly. She added, "To win the audience's love, current popularity isn't enough. Plus, if everyone is after Miranda, we shouldn't join the crowd and get nothing but trouble."She looked at the remaining scripts. "Just because these aren't trending now doesn't mean they're not good. Plenty of shows become hits after they air."She then looked at Angel, "This could also significantly raise audience expectations.""You have a point," Angel nodded seriously. "But who wouldn't want a sure thing? The risk is too high. Penelope is relying on this next role to make a comeback."In the entertainment industry, one successful drama could be a make-or-break opportunity. Missing this chance could mean no more opportunities.Nina said, "That's why we need to choose carefully. This could be the dark horse we're looking
"Does that mean we're on the same page this time?" Nina asked.Penelope showed a warm look. "Maybe we were best friends in a past life, given how in sync we are now."Nina smiled without saying anything."But I'm more worried about your situation," Penelope continued. "Have you really moved on?"She was referring to the recent drama. Miranda was getting together with Nash while Nina was left out. It seemed absurd to her.Nina shrugged, responding cheerfully, "With a great career, why would I need to worry about men? Once I reach the peak of my success, there will be plenty of men around!"Penelope could not help but give her a thumbs up.They entered the female director's studio together. It was small, almost cramped. Previously, this director had made documentaries, winning several awards. This was her first time directing a TV series. The script, which took her five years to perfect, showed her passion and dedication to the industry, indicating she was not just chasing trend
Chloe scoffed, “What’s the big deal? When I married your father, I just threw on a simple dress and walked into the house. I still have that dress, you know.”She muttered under her breath, “Marriage is about building a life together. What’s the point of all these fancy extras?”A wedding dress? A suit? That sounded expensive. Their family had barely saved a few thousand dollars over the years. How could they justify spending it all on a wedding? *Vera, taking advantage of the last bit of battery on her phone, quickly pulled up photos of wedding dresses and suits. She handed the phone to Alice. “Your brother would look really handsome in a suit.” Alice gasped in excitement. “Wow! These clothes are so pretty! Vera, you’re already beautiful—if you wear this, you’ll look just like a fairy!” Then she hesitated. “When we get the dress… can I try it on too?” “Of course.” This wasn’t a wedding Vera had agreed to in the first place. She had shown Alice the pictur
Alice looked at Vera and tried to reassure her. “It’s just a little meat. It won’t make you gain weight, I promise. Last Christmas, I ate a whole plate of pork, and look—I didn’t gain a pound!”Vera said nothing. In a place like this, meat was probably a rare luxury, something they only had on holidays or special occasions. Things like snack foods, takeout, or even basic convenience store items were probably unheard of here. How could anyone gain weight in a place like this? But Vera wasn’t refusing to eat because she was worried about that.Still, Alice meant well.Even though Vera resented her in this moment, she knew when to pick her battles.So she picked up her fork and ate the piece of chicken.Chloe finally looked pleased.“You haven’t had a baby yet, so why worry about your weight? Eat more—you’ll need the strength to have a big, healthy boy. After that, you can think about getting your figure back. Tonight, you’ll sleep in Peter’s room. You’re already his,
Vera's expression changed completely as she looked at the family. “What are you talking about? Why would I stay here? I have my own life.” “Vera, didn’t you say you couldn’t find your brother?” Alice’s voice grew anxious. “Then take my brother instead! He’ll protect both of us. This is a good thing for you! Don’t tell me you think my brother isn’t good enough?“His leg isn’t perfect, and he can’t do heavy labor, but he’s not useless. And I can help him with the farm work—we can do it together!” Her words were absurd. If Vera had known this was her real intention, she never would have accepted her help. “Enough, both of you, stop talking.”Gerald had lived long enough to understand that his son and Vera were worlds apart. He also knew that there was no way she would willingly stay. But plenty of women in the village hadn’t wanted to stay either. That didn’t matter. As long as she was here, that was enough. He got straight to the point. “Our village
The young girl suddenly looked torn. In their village, getting a wife was extremely difficult. Families with a little money could sometimes bring a wife in from outside, but for families like hers, who had nothing to offer, it was nearly impossible. To make things worse, her brother had a bad leg. As a child, he had been mocked by other kids. He could still walk, but not quickly—and he couldn’t do the heavy farm work required to support a family. Now that he was getting older and still living alone, she felt incredibly anxious. Today, by some stroke of luck, she had met a woman in the mountains who was as beautiful as a goddess. She was determined to make this woman her sister-in-law. But if she left now, what if the woman ran away or was taken away by someone else in the village? What would happen to her brother then? *“It’s already so late,” Vera said gently. “Even if everyone in the village knows each other, it’s still not safe for a young girl
Up ahead was a village. “Miss, it’s really late today, so I’ll take you home first. My parents and brother will take good care of you, and you can get a good night’s sleep at our place. Once you’ve rested, we’ll take you to town tomorrow.” The young girl tightened her grip on Vera’s hand. “My mom is a great cook! She’ll definitely make a big meal to welcome you.” It really was late. The sky was completely dark, and Vera’s phone battery was nearly dead. The girl was still so young. She had already gone out of her way to bring Vera back from the deep mountains. It wouldn’t be right to ask her to take her all the way to town tonight. Vera still had some cash in her pocket. After covering the cost of transportation, she decided she would leave the rest for the girl’s family. If it weren’t for the girl, who knew how long she would have been wandering in the mountains? “My house is just ahead. It’s not in great shape, so don’t mind it too much. Next year, whe
Vera’s nerves tensed up again. A sudden sound in the middle of nowhere was never a good sign. If it was a snake or some other large animal, she would be in serious trouble. Her ankle was swollen, and she couldn’t run fast. Would this be where it all ended for her? She had to leave quietly. But the ground was covered in thick layers of fallen leaves, with dry branches hidden underneath. Crack. As she stepped back, her foot snapped a twig, the sound piercing through the silence. Only one thought filled her mind—this was it. The rustling nearby grew louder. Vera squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself. Then, a voice suddenly spoke beside her. “Miss, why are you here alone? Didn’t your family come with you?” It was a person. Not an animal. Vera’s eyes flew open. A young girl stood in front of her. Fear dissolved in an instant, replaced by relief. She was saved.“I came here alone. Little one, do you know how to get out of here?” Ver
Hunter took a bite of the biscuits and ravioli she had made. The taste was surprisingly good. It wasn’t on the level of a Michelin-starred chef, but it had something even more special—the taste of home. And of course, there was the oatmeal. He took one spoonful after another, finishing the entire bowl. *Meanwhile, Vera still hadn’t found her brother. Disappointment weighed heavily on her as she prepared to leave. But just then, her phone buzzed. An anonymous message. She tapped it open and stared at the image attached. It was a watch. Alone, a watch meant nothing. But this watch was her brother’s. Vera immediately zoomed in on the photo, carefully inspecting the engravings inside. There they were—his initials. No mistake. This was his watch. Below the image, a location pin was attached. The place was nearby. Vera’s eyes filled with determination. If she had found nothing, she would have simply left. But now, she had recei
When Yelena woke up again, she was shocked to find that she wasn’t at the club. She sat up abruptly, looking around in confusion. Then, she got out of bed, slipped on her slippers, and pushed the door open. “Where am I?” “At my place,” Hunter replied casually. He was working in the living room when he saw her wake up. “You slept for a long time. I couldn’t just leave you alone at the club, so I brought you back here.” Seeing the uncertainty on her face, he added, “It’s already late. Just stay here for the night. I’ll take you back tomorrow.” Yelena nodded. There was no other choice now. “There’s food in the fridge. If you’re hungry, heat something up. There are also snacks in the drawer—take whatever you want.” “Alright.” She really was hungry. She opened the drawer, grabbed a few small bread rolls, ate them quickly, and then went back to her room to rest. *The next morning, Yelena woke up early. Thinking about everything Hunter had done—treatin
Yelena quickly lowered her arm, letting her sleeve fall over the mark to cover it. “It’s nothing. Here’s your cocktail. Please enjoy.” “Yelena.” Hunter grabbed her wrist without warning. He pulled up her sleeve, revealing the deep, ugly scars on her arm. His brows knitted together instantly. “Who did this to you?” The force behind it was brutal—downright inhuman. Yelena remained silent. Who else could have done this besides Liam? But she had agreed to this. She had willingly accepted Hunter’s request and entered Liam’s world. She had no right to complain. Her silence gave Hunter all the confirmation he needed. “Liam did this to you, didn’t he?” Yelena nodded. “It’s nothing. The wounds have already started healing. They look worse than they feel. Give it some time, and they’ll fade.” “Wait here.” Hunter stood abruptly and walked away. Yelena had no idea what he was doing, but since he told her to wait, she didn’t argue. A few minu