Upon hearing this, Sally's face turned pale, and she shouted, "When did all this happen? Why didn’t anyone tell me? How dare Nina interfere in their relationship after they have already divorced? How shameless! No, I have to go find her. She dares to treat my Miranda like this? I’ll fight her!"Just the thought of Miranda being wronged made Sally furious. She would do anything to get justice for her.Miranda quickly grabbed her. "Sally, you can’t do that. If you go, she’ll definitely treat you harshly. I can’t let you be mistreated.""What kind of power does she have! If she wants to be part of the York family, she’ll have to go through me first. Don’t worry, Miranda. If she makes things difficult for you, I won’t let her get away with it. I’ll go down with her if I have to!" Sally was too angry to think rationally. All she wanted was to make Nina pay, no matter the cost.Sally stormed off to defend Miranda, and no one could stop her. Miranda called out, "Sally, Sally," but did n
The helpers, fearing the situation, hesitated but did their best to push Sally out. Nina was no longer polite and said, "Whenever Miranda is in trouble, you jump to her defense. You just want me to know she’s your daughter and you want to protect her. But remember, you abandoned her once. Now you want to make it up to her? You should consider whether she even wants your help!"Sally was taken aback, thinking this was still a secret. But realizing Nina already knew, she did not bother hiding it. "Yes, Miranda is my daughter. I've sacrificed so much for the York family. How dare you slander her!""I don't slander," Nina replied firmly. "If you want to seek justice for her, take it up with the police, not me. Today, her reputation is ruined. Tomorrow, I’ll make sure she’s in jail for life!"Turning to the helpers, she added sternly, "Show her out!"Recognizing Nina’s authority, the helpers hurriedly escorted Sally out. Sally, deeply shocked and humiliated, couldn't tolerate the insu
Sally showed no remorse and wanted Nash to see Nina's true colors.Nash walked up to her, expressionless, and coldly asked, "Who let you in?"Sally replied, "I’m your mother. Why wouldn’t I be allowed in?"She said it as if it was a matter of course.Nash’s lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes cold as ice, filled with a murderous glint. It was the first time Sally had seen such an expression on Nash’s face, and she felt a chill run down her spine."You came here to burn down my house?" Nash's voice grew even colder.Sally, who had been confident, now changed her tune. "I only wanted to teach Nina a lesson, I didn’t mean to burn down the house. Nash, how could I possibly cause you trouble…""You didn’t just want to burn down the house. You intended to harm Nina and her unborn child!" Nash’s voice was icy, devoid of any warmth. "You think I won’t do anything to you?"The cold words made Sally tremble. "Nash…"Nash's chest heaved, his clenched fists shaking, his eyes tinged
Sally, seeing that Nash wasn't going to help her, panicked. "Nash, how can you listen to her? I am your mother, and you want to send me to jail? How can you do this! You must be bewitched by this woman!"Her emotions became even more agitated, and she directed all her hatred at Nina. "What kind of spell have you cast on Nash? You’re a witch, Nina. I won’t let you get away with this. If you ruin things for me and Miranda, I’ll haunt you even after I’m dead!"She continued to hurl insults and threats at Nina, but she couldn’t avoid being taken to the police.Finally, the house fell silent.Nash looked at the scorched floor and said to Nina, "We shouldn’t stay here. I’ll take you somewhere more comfortable.""It’s fine," Nina replied. "Only a small part is burned. We can fix it easily. There’s no need to go to all that trouble."Nash insisted, "As long as you’re comfortable, it’s no trouble."Nina declined, "Staying here is fine."Nash didn’t press the issue further and called som
Hearing her cry, Nash quickly let go. Nina's wrist was already ringed with a red mark. She looked at her hand in disbelief, wondering how Nash could suddenly be so forceful. She glared at him, her expression showing her anger and pain.Nash looked at her wrist, his expression conflicted, mostly filled with guilt. He quickly apologized again, "I’m sorry."But his words felt hollow, as he had indeed hurt her accidentally. He hadn’t realized he had used so much force and become so agitated.Nina was already furious about the situation with Miranda. Dealing with a third person interfering in their relationship was more than any woman could tolerate. Now, Nash had even hurt her in his irrational state."Sorry doesn’t help. You still did it. I can’t stay here like this. I’m leaving," she said, intending to leave. After all, this wasn’t her house. Since she and Nash were still divorced, she couldn’t kick him out, so she had to leave herself.She barely took a few steps before Nash
The scandal had caused many of her jobs to be put on hold. Despite the challenges, she was determined to make a comeback. If she couldn’t work here anymore, she would make an appearance abroad.Fortunately, since the incident was recent, she had not been blacklisted and could still attend an online gaming event. The attendees were all anime fans. She planned to cosplay as a popular character to capture the attention of her audience.Miranda was smart and she knew how to create buzz. At every event, she aimed to be in the spotlight. This time was no different. She was also waiting for good news from Sally. Nina had made her life difficult, and she intended to return the favor. She assumed Sally had already handled it. If Sally could get rid of that nuisance, Miranda could rest easy.After all she had been through, Miranda had learned a valuable lesson which was never get her own hands dirty. Being caught was a death sentence. She couldn’t survive in the entertainment industry if th
As someone in the crowd shouted, Miranda's expression instantly changed. She looked lost amidst the people. She had endured many accusations before, but this was the first time she was publicly condemned, and the faces in the crowd seemed to turn hostile.The host tried to maintain order, saying, "This is Miranda’s first time here. Don’t believe the rumors online. It’s disrespectful to her...""Where there’s smoke, there’s fire! If she didn’t do anything, why would her name come up? Concerned netizens have been tracking her movements, and there are some very suspicious activities. We should ask the police to investigate. Artists with a bad reputation shouldn’t appear in public.""Calm down, everyone, please calm down," the host pleaded, trying to restore order. "If Miranda had any real issues, she wouldn’t be here..."The audience, however, wouldn’t listen to the host. They were outraged by Miranda’s presence and began throwing things at her."Ah—" Miranda cried out as she was h
After speaking, the assistant began packing up Miranda’s things. Tears streamed down Miranda’s face, but her expression remained cold. She desperately wanted to make a comeback, but it felt like she was sinking deeper into a hole she could not escape. She needed to think of a way to salvage her situation.She had fought hard to make a name for herself in the entertainment industry, aspiring to be someone admired and envied. She could not give up now.The door was knocked on again.The assistant, growing impatient, opened the door. "What’s the rush..."To her surprise, it was Nash’s men.The assistant’s eyes lit up with hope. "Miranda."Miranda, feeling like she was in an ice-cold cellar, turned and saw Nash’s men. Her eyes brightened, and she quickly wiped away her tears. "Is it Nash? Does Nash want to see me?" she asked eagerly.This was her last lifeline. As long as Nash was willing to save her, she wouldn’t be doomed."Miss Miranda, come with us.""Okay, I knew Nash would
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