Nina worried Felix might not feel reassured so she suggested him to come with her. Felix nodded and followed her. Miranda, however, refused to get into the car. Her only focus was on finding Nash, her eyes scanning desperately for him. When she saw Nina, she was stunned. Nina should have been dead by Sawyer's hand. This realization made her even more agitated."Nina! Nina!" Miranda screamed, pushing everyone aside as she ran towards Nina with all her might. Seeing this, Felix stepped in front of Nina to block Miranda. However, Nina stopped him, telling him to stand aside.Miranda's emotions escalated, her eyes wide with fury. "Why are you here? Why aren't you dead? It should have been you!"As Miranda charged at Nina, Nina's expression turned icy. When Miranda tried to attack her, Nina grabbed her hair and slapped her hard across the face."Ah—" Miranda cried out as she was thrown to the ground. Nina had wanted to do this for a long time. She spoke coldly, "You all saw that
Nina turned back to face Miranda. Miranda’s eyes gleamed with triumph and her lips curled in a sinister smile. Her words were like a curse. "You won't survive this. No one can save you. It's your fate. I'm the winner here. I'll live a good life, while you'll be nothing but filth. Hahaha..."Miranda's laughter grew louder and more frenzied. It was the first time Nina had seen her laugh so maniacally. Hearing Miranda's venomous words made Nina's face pale, her heart racing with unease.Just then, Nash appeared, his expression stern, leading his team. "Nash," Miranda's voice softened, tears glistening in her eyes as she looked at Nash with hope. "You're here to save me, aren't you?"Nina turned to look at him as well. Nash walked straight to Nina's side, ignoring Miranda entirely, and took Nina's hand. "I told you to stay in the car. Are you feeling okay?"Nina shook her head. "I just needed some fresh air." She glanced at Miranda and asked, "What will happen to her?"Only then
From the beginning, Miranda had already lost in matters of love. She was abandoned by her parents and given to Seth. Despite this, she foolishly chose to believe in love one more time, mainly because Nash had given her such a sweet dream. She thought she could be loved, but she was wrong. Nash still did not love her.Tears silently fell from Miranda’s eyes. She couldn't help but ask, "You risked your life for me, and that was all fake? You played this role so well that you even risked your own life." Normally, no one would risk their life in such a way. Even her father had been deceived, thinking Nash was on their side because his life was at stake.Nash glanced at Nina, as if not wanting her to know everything, and ordered, "Take her away." Miranda started laughing, her tears flowing more freely. Her gaze on Nash held no hatred because she truly loved him.When she left the organization, it was indeed to use Nash to escape her identity. But back then, Nash was genuinely k
He did not dare take the risk. Even if he gambled with Miranda's life, he feared the other side would not buy it!Hearing his words, Nina felt a twinge of heartache. The long period of tension between them had left her to face everything on her own. It was too tough. Despite putting on a brave front, being in love made her vulnerable. Now, as she listened to him, her eyes welled up with tears. Tears started to fall unintentionally. Her grief and sorrow poured out like a waterfall. Nash saw her trembling shoulders and knew she was hurting. He immediately went over and pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry," he whispered softly. "I'm so sorry for everything you've been through."He knew how tough it had been for her. She was pregnant without her husband by her side and he had put her through so much. He felt immense guilt. But compared to her life, this was the only way he could protect her. Love could be repaid but a life was irreplaceable.Nina, leaning against his chest,
Wilfred's expression turned serious. "What's going on?"He thought Nash had gotten the antidote. If Nash could wake up after being poisoned, it meant Seth had given him the antidote. How could he still have symptoms?"I'm not sure," Nash replied. He thought he would be fine, but a few hours later, his body had a strong reaction. "Maybe Seth didn't give me the real antidote."Seth was a cunning person. It was possible he had a backup plan.Wilfred helped Nash to a nearby seat, increasing his concerns. "The poison affecting you is different from what Nina has."Based on Nash's symptoms, Wilfred speculated that the poison's components were different from Nina's. Nash could not describe his pain, but his body felt obstructed. The poison might not have spread throughout his body, or it might not be a fatal poison.The symptoms came and went. Nash thought he could endure it but was curious about his fate. "If there's no antidote, what will happen to me?"Wilfred's serious expression
"Probably, but I feel like I've caused you trouble.""Don't say that. We're friends, and this isn't your fault. You've helped me with so much. If I didn't say such polite things, neither should you. Are we not friends?" Penelope laughed and added, "By the way, I have some great news for you. Our drama is a hit!"Nina was pleasantly surprised. "Really?"Penelope continued, "Yes, it's been steadily gaining momentum and now has the highest ratings in history. When you have time, you should check it out. Also, 'Demon Bone' started strong but is now falling apart. Everyone's criticizing it online, saying the plot is dragging and it looks like it's going to have a bad ending. Its ratings are dropping day by day. We won this round!""That's fantastic," Nina said. "I expected as much."She had always had high hopes for their show. Even when the initial buzz was low, she believed it had potential. She thought, even if the audience's acceptance wasn't high, at least breaking even would be
Pregnancy was inherently difficult for a woman. With her belly so big now, he had not fulfilled his duties as a father. He had not been there to take care of her, leaving her to face everything alone, and this filled him with guilt. He owed Nina a lot.Seeing his reddened eyes, Nina smiled and placed her hand over his. "Isn't everything fine now? Pregnancy comes with some discomfort, but even the hard parts are filled with happiness. Every day, I look forward to his arrival, and just thinking about it makes me happy."Nash said, "You've been through so much. I don't want you to have to go through this again."Nina laughed. "Are you saying one child is enough for you?"Nash replied softly, "Once the baby is born, you'll have gone through so much. I don't want you to endure that again."He had learned about the process of childbirth. Carrying a baby for ten months, with the child growing each day, he knew it became increasingly uncomfortable for her. It was a tough journey, and wh
Nash paused for a moment, surprised. "He moved!"Nina felt it too. "See, I told you it was real."Nash pressed his face against her belly. "Do you think he can sense me?"Nina looked down at him, smiling. "Probably. Babies are quite perceptive, even before they're born. I think he can hear us talking."Nash was overjoyed. It was a new feeling, the joy of becoming a father. He kissed Nina's belly, cherishing their time together.Nina stroked his hair. "You'll get to meet him soon. Even though you haven't been around much lately, you'll have plenty of time to bond with him once he's born."Nash smiled without saying a word. He helped Nina to the bedroom. She wanted to take a bath and rest. He prepared a nightgown for her and helped her with a bath. These were tasks Nina had always done for Nash, but now the roles were reversed. Nina felt a bit shy but reminded herself that they were about to have a child, so she let Nash take on the responsibilities of a husband and father.Na
But instead of feeling touched, Vera’s first reaction was nausea. A wave of discomfort surged up from her stomach, and Vera’s face paled. She bolted for the bathroom. Caleb followed quickly. “Are you feeling sick?” “I don’t think so. I’ve been eating normally—nothing too heavy or weird lately.” Vera clutched her stomach, just as confused as he was. Then, a possibility flashed through her mind. Caleb clearly had the same thought. Without a word, he turned and walked into their bedroom, returning moments later with a pregnancy test. Vera looked at him, stunned. “When did you buy that?” He responded matter-of-factly, “Better safe than sorry.” Vera was momentarily speechless. Five minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. It was positive. They had only been married for three months. How did this happen so fast?Caleb, on the other hand, remained composed—at le
Of course, Vera wasn’t about to dump all her responsibilities on her assistant. That would be exploitation. She called her assistant into her office. “You’re twenty-five this year, right?” Her assistant blinked, confused. Wasn’t her age common knowledge? Why was Vera suddenly bringing it up? A thought struck her. Was this an arranged marriage situation? Her face immediately filled with silent refusal. “Miss Vera, I’m still young. I’m not thinking about marriage anytime soon.” Vera tapped her pen against the desk. “I’m not telling you to get married.” “Oh.” “I just want to offload some of the smaller daily tasks to you. You don’t have to run every minor document by me.”Her assistant instantly understood. A raise. After confirming she was on board, Vera gave her a salary bump and had her hire a few more assistants to distribute the workload. “If I don’t have time to handle everything, you guys will take care of it. If something’s too complicated, jus
Vera could sense danger the moment the conversation turned in this direction. Her father had never questioned her about married life, and she was lucky enough to avoid nosy relatives. But just because she hadn’t experienced it firsthand didn’t mean she hadn’t seen it happen to others. Without hesitation, she abandoned the half-folded pastry in her hands. “I... uh, need to use the restroom.” Before she could escape, Mrs. Smith caught her wrist. “You and Caleb aren’t getting any younger,” she said matter-of-factly. “You should start thinking about kids—make sure you’re putting in the effort, hmm?” Vera left the kitchen visibly drained. Mrs. Smith was a wonderful mother-in-law, the kind who treated Vera like her own daughter. Despite knowing Vera came from a well-off family, she had still gifted them a house as a wedding present. Of course, Caleb already owned a place, but his mother had insisted. “That’s your house. This is the home I’m giving you as a weddi
That undeniable possessiveness flickered in Caleb’s gaze—subtle yet impossible to ignore. It was the kind of look a powerful man might give his beloved in an old Hollywood film. And right now, the photographer felt like the unlucky bystander who had accidentally stumbled upon an intimate scene. His voice wavered slightly, caught up in his own imagination. “Mr. Smith, lift your eyes toward the camera.” Caleb’s sharp gaze flickered over, intense and commanding. The photographer instinctively pressed the shutter. They continued with several more poses, reviewing the shots as they went. Vera loved them all, but her favorite was still the vintage-inspired one. “How long until we get the final prints?” she asked. “Two to three days at most,” the photographer replied. “I’ll have them shipped directly to you.” Then, after a slight pause, he hesitated before making a request. “I actually have a personal favor to ask—would you both be open to letting us displa
Vera was tempted. They had already taken plenty of wedding photos—several sets at the island, more at the wedding itself. But this wasn’t just any photo studio. It was privately booked and known for being one of the most prestigious studios in the city. Appointments here were nearly impossible to get. The fact that Caleb had managed to secure a session meant he had gone to great lengths to make it happen. If they were just going to take ordinary wedding pictures, it would be a waste of an opportunity. Still, she wasn’t sure what kind of shoot she wanted. The photographer, understanding her hesitation, pulled out a sample album. “You can take a look at our past work. These are some of the styles we’ve done.” Flipping through the pages, Vera saw an array of stunning concepts—each picture more breathtaking than the last. Then, one particular set caught her eye. A Golden Age Hollywood theme.It was classic, nostalgic, and beautifully atmospheric. “Ca
After the wedding, Vera considered taking some time off for a honeymoon. But the thought quickly faded when she realized Caleb had been practically living at the hospital. With a sigh, she dismissed the idea. She was used to it, but to say she wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. Her assistant picked up on it. “Mrs. Smith, don’t you want to go on a honeymoon?” she asked one day. “One of my friends just got married, and she’s been obsessively researching destinations. “She even said a marriage without a honeymoon is already half a failure.” Vera froze mid-page, suddenly losing interest in the documents she had been reviewing. Her assistant hesitated, then offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you go visit Dr. Smith at work?“You seem… distracted. Maybe seeing him will help.” Vera snapped out of her daze, suddenly aware of how preoccupied she had been lately. It was embarrassing to admit, but she had been zoning out far too often—especially after coming hom
Whenever they did this in the past, Caleb always maintained some restraint. But tonight—he didn’t hold back at all. He took her from the bedroom to the bathroom, then back to the bed, his searing kisses trailing every inch of her skin. The next morning, even as she woke up, Vera could still feel the lingering traces of last night’s intoxicating pleasure. As expected, she ended up taking the day off. It wasn’t until two days later that she finally returned to work. *Everyone at the company had already prepared for this. The moment Vera walked into the office, she was greeted with knowing smiles and teasing remarks. “Congratulations, Mrs. Smith!” “Newlywed bliss, huh?” “Three whole days off? Someone had a good time.” It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she had been up to. Obviously, her married life was going exceptionally well—so well that she had completely abandoned work for it. Under the weight of their mischievous stares, Vera barely k
Yelena still hadn’t accepted Hunter, but he wasn’t giving up either and was relentlessly closing in on her. Knowing Yelena’s soft heart, Vera figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in. She let out a sigh. Her friend’s love life wasn’t something she could interfere with. Besides, Caleb had already given her a little inside scoop. “She came to the hospital for a follow-up a few days ago,” he had mentioned casually. “Hunter was the one who brought her.” Vera had clicked her tongue at the news. Yelena always seemed quiet and reserved, but apparently, she was full of surprises.*Time flew by in the blink of an eye.By mid-month, Caleb had rented out an entire vineyard and spent several days transforming it into the perfect wedding venue.When the day arrived, the celebration took place right there.The vineyard was sprawling and elegant, every bit as grand as any luxury hotel—if not better. Even the wine cellar remained untouched, stocked with years-
“Did you plan this from the start?” Vera narrowed her eyes, feeling like she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. “Mm.” Caleb smiled, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Because yes—he had always been planning this. The biggest change in Vera’s life after the island proposal was the ring now sitting on her finger. It wasn’t just any ring. It was custom-made, something Caleb had specially ordered. She only found out by accident when she glanced at his phone one day and saw the purchase record. It had been ordered two months ago. Vera did the math and was stunned. He had been preparing for this long before she even started getting impatient. Her heart swelled with emotion. And as soon as Caleb’s parents heard that their son had finally proposed, they wasted no time pushing them to get the marriage license. *One day, Vera overheard Caleb’s mother lecturing him. “Your dad and I weren’t expecting much from you. With how much ti