"You guys just don't get it, do you? Nina's aiming to climb the social ladder. She's Mr. York's secretary, but she can't secure the role of his official wife. Over the years, she's probably considered finding another route. Banking on her looks, she's aiming to become Mr. Lincoln's lover. Perhaps she couldn't even pull that off, so she went ahead and falsely accused Mr. Lincoln of rape, ruining him in the process. He could even wind up behind bars!""I always thought Nina was so kind, but it turns out she's quite cunning. Just look at how she's made Mr. Lincoln suffer. It's no surprise she's always hovering around Mr. York; she's probably schemed her way into that position!""Hmph, you guys are just realizing Nina isn’t as simple as she seems? I figured that out long ago. Look around—among the company's early employees, who isn't more capable than Nina? Our manager, Paris, has the skills and experience, far exceeding Nina's. But just because Nina relies on her flirtatious charm to se
Mabel had no chance to resist, her face flushed red as she screamed in agony. She had never experienced such humiliation before, and she was absolutely livid!Nina spoke icily, "If I hadn't hit you, you wouldn't even know how to survive at York Corporation."“Nina, who do you think you are to lay hands on me?"The commotion attracted a crowd, and when Paris rushed over, she found her subordinate being slapped by Nina. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she pulled them apart.Nina's action of slapping her subordinate was akin to slapping Paris's own face.Seeing help arrive, Mabel burst into tears, "Paris!"She ran to Paris, covering her face, "She hit me, it's too much!"Paris pulled Mabel behind her, seething with anger. "You've completely lost your mind, becoming more arrogant by the day. Do you think York Corporation belongs to your family, that everyone should listen to you? And hitting someone, completely disregarding me!"Nina felt her hand stinging from the impact and shoo
While the drama unfolded, bystanders couldn't help but sympathize with Nina. Being just a secretary, her authority paled in comparison to the vice president's, so trouble was inevitable for her!Soon enough, the vice president, distressed for his niece, hurried over with Mabel, demanding answers, "Who, who dared to bully my dear niece?"Mabel pointed at Nina in the pantry, "It's her, she hit me, Uncle. No one has ever hit me from childhood till now!"Paris, watching from the sidelines, played the role of the pitiful good person, "Mr. Green, I'm truly sorry. I couldn't take care of Mabel properly. My influence in this office is just too limited."Her words also implied to the vice president that she and Nina were on equal footing, but she was being unfairly oppressed.Nina was too audacious in this office.The vice president had long heard about Nina's bad reputation, but since she was close to Mr. York, he hadn't intervened. Now that it affected his family, he wouldn't let it sli
Nash walked in from outside, followed by a group of people. His imposing presence exuded a cold aura, keeping people at bay. Paris had been planning to thoroughly deal with Nina, leaving her no chance to turn the tables, but Nash happened to return. Her hand paused mid-air, reconsidering how to punish Nina.The moment Nash arrived, she felt a sense of fear and refrained from delivering the slap. "Mr. York!" People in the office cleared a path as Nash approached. Surveying the chaotic scene and the suppressed Nina, his brows furrowed, his expression icy. His gaze swept around the room. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have thought this isn't my company, but your territory, Mr. Green."Mr. Green's expression shifted, his arrogance diminished by Nash's words. He could only respond cordially, "No, that's not the case, Mr. York. It's just that my niece was hit by Nina. She's cherished in our Green family, and no one has ever laid a hand on her before. She's endured so
He grabbed Mabel, not wanting to stir up more trouble. Afraid of saying too much facing expulsion from the York Corporation, he immediately played along, "Mr. York, it was my oversight. I didn't grasp the situation clearly. This time, Nina was wronged."Nash stood with one hand in his pocket, his emotions unreadable, yet his words carried a firm tone. " Mr. Green, I see that you've understood, but does your niece understand the situation?"Mr. Green pulled Mabel up, "You've been disrespectful to Nina. Apologize to her right away. And don't gossip about her behind her back again."Mabel, surprised that she had to apologize after being slapped twice, protested, "Uncle, why should I apologize to her? I won't apologize!"She started crying and causing a scene again.Mr. Green looked at Nash again, seeing his furrowed brows, indicating he was running out of patience. In the York Corporation, he knew Nash was a man of his word. If he didn't want trouble, he should stop this situation ri
Nina's words were appropriate for the situation. In the future, if they were to divorce, it would give others plenty to gossip about.However, Nash felt that Nina was being overly cautious. He helped her, yet she seemed more concerned about attracting suspicion from others. Or was she apprehensive about people discovering their relationship?Suddenly, Nash's face turned cold, revealing only iciness and detachment. "Are you that afraid?" Nina observed his displeased expression and gently explained, "I'm concerned about causing you any inconvenience. If there were to be a divorce and rumors began circulating about any connection between us, I believe you wouldn't want to hear such gossip. Additionally, my reputation isn't exactly great right now. I wouldn't want to drag you into it."Nash frowned, his tone tinged with sarcasm. "Nina, why are you being so meticulous about this little matter, especially when your reputation isn't great right now?"His sarcastic tone left Nina momenta
Miranda didn't shy away from wearing it a second time. If she were to caught on camera, she would surely be ridiculed. She paid no heed to how the media would spin it.Having endured this trial, Miranda had shed considerable weight, appearing noticeably more delicate. But despite this, she faced the cameras and flashes without fear, sporting her trademark friendly smile.At first, reporters inquired about her recent near-death experience. Miranda dramatized the situation for them, sharing her ordeal and emphasizing her optimistic outlook, pledging not to repeat the same mistakes again.She observed the flood of comments, with everyone offering sympathy and acknowledging the hardships she had faced. Yet, despite the outpouring of support, some reporters delved into her privacy, noting that she had worn the gown twice.Miranda responded gracefully, "I believe facing the camera again is like a new beginning. This gown holds immense significance for me. When I wear it, I feel alive, re
Taylor's righteous indignation prompted Nina to chuckle. "Why does it seem like, in your eyes, Mr. York and I are in a romantic relationship?"Taylor couldn't determine if it was her own misperception, but she sensed the delicacy of their relationship."Mr. York does care a great deal about you," Taylor reflected for a moment. "Maybe you both don't realize it, but observers see it clearly. We can't let Miranda interfere and ruin your relationship."In Taylor's view, Nina and Nash were the perfect match."You little rascal, don't take sides recklessly," Nina tapped Taylor's head gently. "Between Mr. York and me, everything is innocent. Don't listen to gossip from others. It's none of my concern whom Mr. York wants to be with. Let's refrain from spreading such talk; it will only fuel baseless rumors."Taylor rubbed her forehead. "I won't talk to others about it, but I'm not discussing these things with you because of idle gossip."Even if the company were circulating rumors that Ni
Ben had decided to play mysterious, leaving Jamie both curious and secretly overjoyed. In the end, he hadn’t hidden the surprise too deeply. That night, as Jamie got ready for bed, she found his surprise tucked under her pillow—a photograph. In the picture, taken at a famous tower overseas, her sister and mother stood together, smiling brightly. Jamie froze, her eyes instantly welling up with tears. Her voice trembled as she turned to Ben. “How did you find them?” Ben rested a hand on Jamie’s shoulder, pulling her gently into a half-embrace. He was silent for a moment before picking up the photograph. “I didn’t find them,” he said softly. “To be precise, they found me.” He went on to explain. Yesterday, he had received a letter from overseas. In today’s world of instant communication, handwritten letters were almost unheard of, and this one had taken a long time to arrive. Even if they wanted to fly out to find her family now, it would be nearly impossible. L
Jamie’s eyes landed on the large bouquet of red roses in Ben’s hands. “You knew about this all along, didn’t you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “That’s why I got you these flowers. Will you forgive me?” Ben’s gentle smile softened his usually reserved demeanor, revealing a rare warmth that seemed out of character. Jamie hesitated for a moment before taking the bouquet. “Fine, I’ll forgive you… but just this once,” she said, pretending to sound reluctant. Ben chuckled at her tone, his amusement evident as he turned his head slightly to hide another laugh. Meanwhile, Charlie covered his face with his hands, but the little boy’s curiosity got the better of him, and he peeked through his fingers to watch. Nina cleared her throat loudly. “Alright, we get it—you two are ridiculously cute. But could you save it for later? If we don’t start eating soon, the food’s going to get cold!” Jamie pulled Charlie close and led him to the table. Everyone sat down to eat togethe
Ben rubbed his tired eyes after reviewing the draft for a while. When he looked back at Jamie, a faint smile curved his lips. “The draft looks good—just a few minor issues.” Jamie immediately perked up, eager to learn, like a diligent student. Playing the role of her temporary teacher, Ben shared everything he knew without holding back. The afternoon flew by. Feeling satisfied, Jamie grabbed the draft with fresh notes and rushed off to make revisions. She became so immersed in her work that she didn’t even notice how much time had passed until evening. Ben, having finished his own tasks, looked over and saw Jamie still glued to her computer. With a sigh, he rubbed his forehead and walked over to pull her up from her chair. Jamie yelped as her upper body suddenly left the ground. “Ben, what are you doing? I’m not done yet!” Ben pointed to his watch. “Take a look at the time.” Jamie glanced at the clock, then jumped up in alarm, nearly bumping into him. “Charlie!”
Ben picked up the project proposal that had been set aside. Realizing she had misunderstood, Lila felt a flicker of embarrassment but quickly composed herself. Glancing at his actions, she said calmly, “This is the project I want your team to handle. So, can you do it or not?” Jamie couldn’t read Ben’s thoughts. She only knew she didn’t want Lila to get her way. This woman had been looking for trouble from the start, clearly acting with bad intentions. Why give her an opportunity to exploit? But Ben glanced at Jamie, the corners of his lips curving into a gentle smile, almost as if to reassure her. “I think it’s doable.” He directed the comment to Jamie, but Lila assumed it was for her. Instantly, her earlier frustration vanished, and she crossed her arms smugly. “Did you hear that, Jamie? Ben is your boss, isn’t he? Now that he’s given the green light, you don’t have anything else to say, do you?”Her self-satisfied demeanor made it seem as if she had already secured her
Lila spoke coolly. “Well, since no one ever mentioned it to you, now you know. Jamie, when you used to work in the service industry, weren’t you well aware of these things? So why is it that now, after being with Ben, you’ve changed so quickly? Forgetting where you came from this fast is something else.”Jamie had insisted on handling this meeting with Lila herself. Even though Ben had dropped her off and wanted to accompany her inside, she had stopped him at the door. And now, it was clear. Lila, seeing Jamie alone, felt free to mock and humiliate her without restraint. Jamie stood abruptly, her presence suddenly intense. “Lila, do you know why I’m here today?” Lila sneered dismissively. “I couldn’t care less about your intentions. But since you’re here, you should remember one thing—I’m your client.” “Client?” Jamie couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Did we finalize a partnership? You seem to have forgotten that just as you can choose not to work with me, I also have the
At the event that day, some people were bold enough to question Ben directly to his face. It was no surprise that, in his absence, they felt free to make unpleasant comments to Jamie instead, leaving her to deal with it alone.Ben held Jamie’s hand, his gaze soft and full of care. “After everything we’ve been through to get here, you should understand how determined I am to protect you,” he said gently, his voice steady and soothing. “If anything happens to you, you have to tell me. If you don’t, how am I supposed to know? I can’t let you suffer in silence.”Jamie nodded. “I know. I promise. But I really just want to use this opportunity to prove myself.” How could she not? If she didn’t prove herself now, when would she? Her goal was to stand alongside Ben for the long haul. “And what exactly will proving yourself through working with her accomplish? Jamie, you need to understand that as long as you’re with me, you don’t need to—” Before Ben could finish, Jamie placed
“Why don’t you stay home and take care of Charlie? With you watching over him, I’d feel completely at ease. Besides, I’m earning enough money now. You don’t need to worry. I can more than provide for the both of you,” Ben said, his tone gentle but firm.The Lucas Corporation was massive, and Ben’s past work as a lawyer brought in astronomical fees, starting in the millions. Financial security was never a concern for their family.Jamie shook her head. “The work I’ve done before was all over the place, but didn’t you support me in doing it? What’s this sudden change, Ben? You’re switching sides faster than flipping a page!”Her decision to return to studying law had been encouraged by Ben himself. But now, hearing him say this, it felt like he was wavering, as though he wanted her to stay at home. Stay at home and do what? Take care of the child? To Jamie, this was an opportunity she couldn’t let slip away. It was her chance to prove herself. “That’s not what I meant,” Be
Lila visited Summer, whose condition had visibly deteriorated. “Looking at you now, do you regret any of it?” Lila asked. If Summer hadn’t been so fixated on Ben, she wouldn’t have ended up this way, consumed by obsession. Summer gave a bitter smile. “With so many twists and turns in life, who even has the right to speak of regret?” She reached out and held Lila’s hand tightly. “Lila, let my experience be a lesson to you. Make sure you see things clearly and never do anything foolish for someone who doesn’t love you.” It was sound advice, and Lila couldn’t help but feel indignant on Summer’s behalf. But her indignation was meaningless. Back then, all she had wanted was to make things difficult for Jamie. In the end, it had backfired, leaving her worse off. “I’m sorry, Summer,” Lila said remorsefully. “I couldn’t even help you get justice. I still carry that guilt.” “You don’t owe me an apology,” Summer replied gently. “You came to see me and cared enough to thin
Jamie sighed, knowing Ben was trying to comfort her. Though she still felt a little wistful, she quickly let it go.What she didn’t expect was that the boys’ whispered conversation would continue from the car all the way to the dinner table. Even while eating, they huddled together, making it clear no one else was welcome to join their secretive chat. Noticing how little food they had touched, Jamie tapped the table with a hint of exasperation. “Alright, you two. Mealtime is for eating, not whispering. Didn’t your teachers teach you that at school?” Charlie immediately recognized that Jamie wasn’t joking this time. She was genuinely a little upset. He quickly straightened up, putting on his most obedient expression as he picked up his utensils. “Got it, Mommy. I’ll eat properly now.” Jamie then turned her gaze to Orion, who, sensing her sternness, also sat upright and promised to focus on his food. With both boys settled and eating obediently, Jamie felt satisfied and