They had not fulfilled their duties as parents and grandfather, so why were they so harsh and unloving towards her? She hated them. Her downfall was entirely their fault!"No matter what you believe, those are the facts," Nash stated."No! They never loved me. Only you did. You love me!" Miranda clung to the bars. She refused to accept that Nash's kindness was just an obligation, following his grandfather's wishes."Grandfather was a rational man," Nash continued. "He knew the difference between right and wrong. The York family wasn't left to William but to an outsider like me because he knew the family couldn't be destroyed."This was why Miranda could never return to the York family. Her malicious intent was clear to Grandfather. Even if he knew she was his granddaughter, he had to think about the family's well-being. Revealing her identity would have been disastrous.For Miranda, this was a heavy blow. She had lived, believing in Nash's love, confident he would fall for her a
Nina did not want him to feel guilty. He had already done everything he could for her. Life was unpredictable, and she had accepted it with a calm heart. She just hoped he would not carry too much burden.Hearing her words, Nash felt even more helpless. He could save everyone else, but he couldn't save her, and that feeling of powerlessness was overwhelming. He didn't want her to see his tear-filled eyes, so he hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead, trying to alleviate his own pressure and pain. He wished he could bear her pain, even if it meant suffering twice as much.Nina was gently placed on the hospital bed, holding Nash's hand to give him and herself the strength to carry on. She was determined to survive. She would survive.Soon, Wilfred arrived. This was a hospital that Nash had invested in, equipped with the most advanced facilities. But Nash knew that only Wilfred could save Nina, so he did not let the doctors in, waiting instead for Wilfred's arrival."How
If it were the old him, he might have been this selfish. After all, he did not want Nina to have anyone else in her heart. But Wilfred was different. Wilfred’s dedication to Nina was selfless, making it impossible for anyone to harden their heart against him.Wilfred looked back at Nash. "You don't want her to be sad, right? If she remembers, it will break her heart."Nash pressed his lips together and changed the subject. "Do you have any family? Would you like me to help you find them?"Wilfred and Scarlett had grown up in the organization, never knowing where home was. Nash wondered if Wilfred missed having a family."No need," Wilfred replied without hesitation. "Wherever I am, that’s home."With that, Wilfred stood up, hands in his pockets, and said, "Don't rely on others for the cure. I'll find a way. Just take good care of Nina. However, there is something strange...""What is it?" Nash asked."Pharaoh's poison is potent, but it hasn't fully invaded Nina's body. Her bab
"I need to see Nina!" Scarlett could not wait any longer in the hospital room."No way. You're a prisoner. You can't leave the room," James replied."You can follow me, can't you? Do you think I can run in my current state?" Scarlett could not understand his stubbornness.James was firm. "Without orders from above, you can't take a single step out of this room."Seeing he was unmoved, Scarlett's expression hardened. "What if I insist on seeing her?"James started to respond, "Then I'm sorry, but—"Before he could finish, Scarlett slapped him hard across the face.James was taken aback by her fierceness. He had not expected her to get physical. He had been disciplined before, but never hit by a woman."You shrew..."Scarlett, balancing on her crutch, kicked at him again. She was not one to back down easily. She had tolerated him long enough, with all the rules and strict treatment. Being cooped up in the hospital room was driving her crazy. She just wanted to see Nina, but he
"You..." James was at a loss for words. His good intentions were completely misunderstood, and no matter what he said, it would be wrong in her eyes. He felt a bit aggrieved, never having dealt with such a difficult woman before.Scarlett, not wanting to argue further, turned to Felix and asked, "You said I could see Nina. I'm injured and can't escape even if I wanted to. Even if I'm guilty, I should be allowed to visit her until the charges are official. I've cooperated with your investigation. You could at least grant me this one request."Felix nodded in agreement and said to James, "Let's cut her some slack. Even Nash hasn't objected. We should show some humanity."Reluctantly, James agreed. "Fine."Scarlett calmed down, realizing they were willing to cooperate. Although she left the organization, she did not have many people in this world that she truly cared about. The only ones she worried for and valued were those few people.She would not run away. Unless pushed to th
Nash looked at Scarlett and asked calmly, "What kind of fate do you think awaits you?"Scarlett gave a bitter smile. "I don't know if I'll die or end up in prison. I've accepted my fate since I'm not exactly a good person.""What if there's a chance for you to atone for your actions?"Scarlett looked up with a glimmer of hope. "Is that really possible?"Nash told her, "Anything that benefits the country can be considered atonement."Scarlett's eyes filled with a mix of hope and doubt. "But what use could I be? Other than fighting and doing bad things, I have no other skills."Nash reassured her, "You have value. There are still many people waiting for you to help them. Focus on recovering first."Scarlett looked at Nash, feeling a surge of hope. His words were like a ray of light, showing her that her life had value and purpose. She could still make a positive impact.It wasn't as dark as she had imagined. This gave her a newfound confidence and excitement. She had always hoped
Sawyer laughed upon hearing Nash's words and said, "You seem surprisingly normal. I guess you got the antidote from Seth? Wait, that's impossible. Seth couldn't have developed a real antidote."His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Nash, puzzled. "Haven't you noticed any physical changes?"Bang!Nash slammed his hands onto the table, creating a loud noise, and glared at Sawyer with cold, sharp eyes. "Say something useful!"Sawyer, noticing Nash's bloodshot eyes, smirked. "You didn't get the antidote."The veins on Nash's arms bulged, and his joints cracked as he clenched his fists in frustration.Recognizing the tension, Sawyer decided to cooperate. "Pharaoh never shows his true face. Neither Seth nor I have seen it. Those who have probably aren't alive anymore. As for Seth and I turning against each other... that's not really accurate. It was all about our own interests. He wanted a piece of my pie, so I threatened him. When we couldn't come to an agreement, I ended up as a prison
This directly impacted the reputation here. The warden's position was now at risk."Captain York, this was my oversight..."Nash glared at the prison guard, unable to contain his rage. His eyes bloodshot, he kicked the guard with full force. The guard was sent sprawling to the ground, coughing violently as two of his ribs cracked.But Nash's anger wasn't appeased. He yanked the guard up from the ground, his face twisted with fury. "Are you one of their men?""My mission is complete."The guard smiled, seemingly brainwashed, viewing his mission as a sacred duty. Completing it meant a perfect end to his life."Was it Seth or Pharaoh? What are they trying to hide?" Nash demanded harshly."I don't know," the guard replied. "My mission was just to kill him!"Such a response only fueled Nash's fury. His anger surged like a flood, and he punched the guard hard, twice, leaving his face bruised and bleeding.Seeing the blood, Nash seemed to lose control, throwing the guard to the groun
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