"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
Miranda's assistant caught wind of the news and whispered in her ear, "Miranda, I heard it's Nina. She's the one causing trouble!"Her gaze automatically shifted towards Nina.As she chatted with Yvonne, comparing the gowns they held, Miranda felt a surge of annoyance. She approached her. "Nina, so it's you. You knew I would be attending the gala and wanted to embarrass me?"Seeing Nina getting ready for makeup and dressing up, Miranda sneered, "Trying to compete with me? Or trying to catch Nash's eye?"Nina sat in a chair while Yvonne's makeup artist styled her hair. She caught a glimpse of Miranda's arrogant expression in the mirror. Only in her presence would Miranda reveal her true colors.Nina didn't look up, responding calmly, "You have quite the imagination. I dress up to please myself.""Quite the self-righteous one, aren't you? Why did you disrupt my dress alteration?" Miranda retorted. "It bothered you when you overheard Ruby and Liz discussing alterations for my dress
This took everyone by surprise. It sent chills down their spines and was a real eye-opener for Penelope."Nina, are you out of your mind? You slapped Miranda!" her colleague exclaimed, shocked.Miranda tilted her head slightly, stunned for several seconds.Nina replied, "You slapped Yvonne; it's only fair I return the favor!"The assistant, startled, immediately pushed Nina away. "Are you crazy? How dare you hit Miranda..."Nina retaliated by slapping the assistant back. "You lack manners. With such a troublemaking assistant like you, it's no wonder Miranda got slapped!""You... Nina, you..."The assistant couldn't articulate her anger as Nina remained unfazed.Miranda covered her face, tears streaming down, and said softly, "Ruby, let it go. We can't afford to provoke her...""Who can't afford to provoke her?"Sally rushed over in a fit of rage at the sight of Miranda being slapped. "Nina, it's you again. This time, I didn't make a mistake, did I? You are bullying Miranda be
Nash's sudden announcement left everyone in the room stunned for a considerable time.Married?Was this something they were supposed to hear?Miranda's face instantly drained of color, her eyes welling up with tears as she fixed her gaze on Nash. It felt as though a sharp blade had pierced her heart, her hands instinctively balling into fists.He actually admitted to being married in front of so many people!This dealt a heavy blow to her, nearly causing her to lose her balance, but fortunately, Sally beside her managed to support her.Nina glanced up at Nash once more, her hands tightening involuntarily. She didn't know what he was thinking or why he would admit it in front of so many people.It left her feeling a bit confused.She couldn't react for a moment, feeling nervous at the same time.What came to mind were the words Nash had said on the night of their marriage, that if anyone found out, she would pay the price.It all felt surreal.Others were stunned for several
If his son were in the same situation, Caleb figured he would probably do what his father was doing now. Forget it. “Fine,” he said at last. “You can stall my father for now. But let me be clear—whatever money you take from him, you’ll have to pay back later.” He had no intention of having a child with Vera. Vera readily agreed. “Alright. As long as I can clear my family’s debt, I’ll do whatever you ask.” “First, put your clothes back on.” Caleb had encountered countless situations as a doctor. He had performed surgeries on both men and women without a second thought. But this was different. Vera wasn’t his patient. Vera had already braced herself for the worst. Now that Caleb had set the terms, she quickly put her clothes back on. But even after dressing, she remained on her knees. Caleb hadn’t heard any movement, and since he didn’t want to turn around prematurely, he was caught off guard when Vera spoke. “I’m dressed.” Only then did he turn to look at h
Caleb had acted out of kindness, offering Vera a place to stay for the night since she had nowhere else to go. He had assumed that after their conversation, she would let go of her ridiculous plan. He truly never expected that Vera would see him as her last lifeline. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. “Vera, I finally understand why no one is willing to help the Mason family. There’s not a single decent person among you!” Vera had anticipated Caleb’s anger, but she never thought he would lash out like this, dragging her entire family into it. Say what he wanted about her—but how could he insult her family? Frustration flared in her eyes. “I know what I’m doing is wrong. But I have no other choice. Caleb, you don’t have to take your anger out on my family.” “If your family was so ‘good,’ then why did they leave you with mountains of debt? Why is your brother missing?” Caleb snapped, his voice sharp. He hadn’t wanted to throw those words at her, b
Caleb’s voice was low, but there was a hint of bitterness tugging at the corners of his mouth. He never thought he would be speaking to Luna in such a tone. It didn’t feel good. “Caleb, I’ve never trampled on your feelings,” Luna said, her voice hoarse and her gaze tinged with sorrow. “I never once accepted your proposals. If I were you, I wouldn’t have proposed a second time. I would’ve kept my distance. I’ve always seen you as a friend, but look at the things you’ve done and the words you’ve said. I’m not obligated to say yes to you, yet you bring someone else into this just to put on some sort of show?” Her voice cracked, and the pain in her eyes was unmistakable. Caleb’s smirk deepened, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “You’re right. You’re not obligated to accept me. But have you ever thought about this? When you call for me, I’m not obligated to come running, either. And as for your accusation—I’m not ‘putting on a show’ with anyone. The girl who came here with me
Caleb stayed by the operating room until Luna’s surgery was completed successfully. After that, he remained at her bedside, not leaving for a moment, until she finally regained consciousness hours later. When Luna opened her eyes, disoriented, she murmured, “Am I… dead?” The sharp smell of disinfectant made her dizzy, and the unfamiliar surroundings only heightened her anxiety. “This is the hospital,” Caleb said softly. “You had appendicitis, and surgery was necessary.” Hearing Caleb’s voice, Luna finally relaxed. She wasn’t dead. But the thought of Caleb sitting by her bedside brought other concerns to mind. Were they alone? Was anyone else around? After all, Caleb had brought another woman when he came to find her earlier. Luna glanced around the room, her searching gaze caught immediately by Caleb. “Don’t bother looking,” he said coolly. “It’s just me here. I arranged for a VIP room for your recovery.” Only then did Luna let out a long breath of relief. She
“My father’s interest is just a passing phase,” Caleb said calmly. “Once he realizes there’s no outcome, he’ll naturally let it go. I’ve been in love with someone who didn’t love me back—it was exhausting. So why would I willingly enter a marriage with someone I don’t even have feelings for?”Caleb didn’t want a marriage without love, and he certainly didn’t want the worst-case scenario—a child born into such a situation. Even though Vera had suggested signing an agreement where the child would stay with him, Caleb couldn’t bring himself to agree. How could a child grow up happy without a mother’s love? And what would he do when the child inevitably started asking for their mom? He couldn’t bear the thought of the child calling someone else “mom.” And if he stayed with Vera just for the child, wouldn’t that create a miserable, loveless relationship for both of them? It was better to draw a clear line from the beginning. Vera hadn’t expected Caleb to be so straightforward a
Caleb’s words left Vera increasingly confused. He had taken her along to see Luna, and now that Luna had been brought to the hospital, there wasn’t much else for her to do. What could Caleb possibly want from her now? If he wanted to continue their "act," he would’ve stopped her earlier, not waited until now to come looking for her. But Caleb remained silent, and Vera didn’t dare to jump to conclusions. She waited patiently for him to speak. After a moment of quiet, Caleb finally broke the silence, his voice low and slightly hoarse. “You don’t have money, and your father is in a standard hospital room. If you don’t rest properly, how will you have the energy to take care of him? Here.” He pulled out a key and handed it to Vera. “This is the key to my dorm at the hospital. I don’t use it often. You can rest and freshen up there.” Vera stared at Caleb in disbelief. Caleb had made it clear he didn’t want any involvement with her and had outright rejected her earlier su
The moment Caleb entered the password at the door, Vera realized he frequented this place. Who could it be? Her mind swirled with guesses, but when the door opened, she followed Caleb inside and saw Luna curled up on the couch in the living room. Caleb immediately strode over to Luna and began checking her condition. Vera trailed closely behind, holding the first aid kit she had brought. “This is appendicitis,” Caleb said firmly. “We need to get you to the hospital right away.” He didn’t even use the supplies in the first aid kit. However, Luna noticed Vera standing there and was visibly startled. She hadn’t expected Caleb to bring someone else—especially Vera—along. When Caleb bent down to lift Luna, she resisted, trying to push him away. “Caleb, what are you doing? What’s the point of all this? Why are you acting like this?” Caleb’s focus was entirely on Luna’s worsening condition. Her appendicitis had escalated to a critical point, and she needed surgery imme
Vera clenched her teeth, making a desperate decision. She moved closer to Caleb, taking the initiative to grab his hand, her sincerity clear. “Caleb, look at me. I’m not as bad as you think. Whether it’s real or fake, I can do it.” Without responding to her plea, Caleb coldly threw out a single sentence, “You can sleep in the car tonight.” Then, without a backward glance, he pulled the car door open and left. Watching his retreating figure, Vera felt as though an invisible hand was squeezing her heart tightly. She had never imagined that her life would come to this point. *Later that night, Caleb was woken by a call from Luna. Through the phone, Luna’s voice was laced with pain. “Caleb, can you come over? My stomach hurts… really badly…” Her words were like a hook, sinking deep into Caleb’s heart. He loved Luna and couldn’t bear to see her in pain or distress. Yet, he forced himself to remain clear-headed. “Isn’t Simon with you? Call him,” Caleb said coldly
Caleb had mentioned taking Vera back to the hospital. Even though she was the one driving, that should have been their destination. But instead, she brought him to his villa. This clearly showed she had done her homework on him. Vera pressed her lips together. “Since you asked me to drive, I figured I’d drop you off at your place first.” “Is that so?” Caleb scoffed, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “And after you drop me off, how are you planning to get back?” As he spoke, he leaned closer to her. Vera instinctively leaned away, uncomfortable with the sudden proximity. She had never been in such close contact with a man before, and her intentions truly were as simple as dropping him off—nothing more. But Caleb didn’t believe her. He grabbed her shoulder with one hand, his grip firm. “I’m asking you a question. Why aren’t you answering?” Vera knew avoiding the question wouldn’t work with him. He wasn’t the type to let things slide. “If I didn’t drop you off, h