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
"No, that's not what I meant. You don't know me at all? How could I blame you?" Nina clenched her fists, then released them. "It's just that this marriage was a contractual one from the beginning.""What?" Yvonne's eyes widened in shock as she stood up. "You never told me about this. Why would Nash have a contractual marriage with you? This doesn't make sense!"Nina explained, "I've told you before, Nash's grandfather had a liking for me, so he arranged for me to marry Nash. And I only agreed because I had no other options at the time."At that moment, Yvonne hadn't fully grasped the situation. She knew Nina liked Nash, but Nina had never considered marrying him despite harboring that crush for so long. How could she suddenly end up marrying him? Now she understood there was a reason behind it."Give me a moment to process this," Yvonne said, still trying to recover from her shock. "You and Nash had a contractual marriage, and it was orchestrated by his grandfather. Nash doesn't ev
"If you slack off, you'll pay for it!" said Miranda's assistant, Ruby, speaking with an air of superiority. When the conversation reached this point, naturally, no one dared to offend. Even the store manager responded with deference, saying, "Alright, Miranda, we'll ensure the gown you need is made with the utmost care.""Tomorrow marks the most important charity auction gala for the York Corporation. Miranda needs to wear it. We need it ready by tomorrow!" the assistant emphasized.The store manager felt troubled. She knew this gown had been altered countless times, and each time there would be new complaints. In all her years of professional experience, she had never been so meticulous. After so many alterations, she thought it was finally acceptable, but now it was sent back again. The store manager said, "The gown was delivered several days ago but you're only coming now. The gown is handmade, so if alterations are needed, they'll have to be done by hand, and it might not be
Listening to this, Yvonne was instantly stunned and looked at Nina, "So, you're saying that this revelation about her relationship with Nash is also a strategic move for her. What a clever tactic!""If you had such a strong supporter like Nash, someone who stands by you completely, wouldn't you make the most of it?" Nina posed a very practical question.Anyone would seize such an opportunity. Missing this chance would be a huge loss.Yvonne was infuriated, nearly losing her mind. "How can we let her have it so easy!"They walked inside."Oh, Yvonne and Nina," the store manager greeted them with a worried expression, not knowing what to do. However, upon seeing them, she put on a smile and welcomed them warmly, "You're here."The store manager was acquainted with Yvonne, as she herself was a well-known designer and considered to be in the same profession as Yvonne. Her creations had graced numerous prestigious fashion weeks and were favored by celebrities on the red carpet.Yvonn
Nina instantly fell in love with this gown and went to the changing room.Yvonne waited by the side, selecting her gown while waiting. When Nina emerged, Yvonne turned around and looked at Nina, who stood tall and beautiful. Her every expression exuded an elegant and unparalleled grace, stunning Yvonne. She couldn't help but applaud, "Nina, you've truly amazed me! I never knew you could be so stunning!"Nina's hair cascaded down, her fair skin complemented by the crimson color, enhancing her complexion. The strapless bodice perfectly accentuated her well-shaped bust, while her slender waist, graspable with just one hand, accentuated her graceful curves. The skirt hem was adorned with hand-sewn roses, vivid and lifelike.The perfection of this gown lies in its understated elegance, perfectly showcasing a woman's fullness and delicacy.As Yvonne looked at Nina, she saw the proudest rose among the thorns. The flowers adorn the person, but the person outshines the flowers.Standing in
She knocked on the door."Come in!" came Nash's voice, neither warm nor cold.Entering the room, Nina saw Nash busy on his computer. Lately, he had been preoccupied with preparations for the upcoming gala, and she wondered what more he had to attend to after returning home from work.Nash glanced up at her. "What's the matter?"Nina replied, "Tomorrow is the annual gala of the York Corporation, and I’m planning to attend."This caught Nash's attention, and his gaze focused on her."I recall you don't enjoy such events."Indeed, she didn't fancy attending such events, finding them too attention-seeking and noisy. Previously, she didn't see the necessity, but now she did.Nina smiled and said, "People change.""Very well," Nash said. "I'll have someone prepare a gown for you.""No need, I've already chosen one."Nina was prepared, and she added with a smirk, "On your card."With that, Nina left.Nash hesitated for a moment.However, spending his money brought a hint of amus
There was quite a commotion, loud enough for everyone to hear.Penelope chuckled, sipping her lemon water, seemingly pleased with the outcome. Although she hadn't interacted with Miranda directly, she was aware of the recent competition for her resources, which left an impression. In the entertainment industry, such battles were nothing new. Miranda still attempted to cut ahead of Penelope in line for her custom-made gown, which seemed a bit excessive. It was satisfying for Penelope to see Miranda fail to get what she wanted.The store manager was inside. Even if they managed to produce the dress today, which seemed unlikely, Miranda probably wouldn't be satisfied. She would end up bearing the brunt of the blame. "We've done our best...""What kind of effort did you put in? Everyone else is dressed perfectly, but only Miranda's gown isn't done. You're doing this on purpose!""You're just accusing me."Hearing them arguing, Miranda came out with a smile, asking in a friendly tone
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