Her parents had previously expressed their frustration about the matter. However, she was still their daughter, and despite their complaints, they cherished her deeply. Moreover, they were about to become grandparents, something they had longed for. They had always hoped Nina would have a child, so even when they were no longer around, she wouldn't be alone. Thus, they accepted it."No, Mom," Nina said to them. "At that time, I wasn't ready, so I didn't tell you. I'm really sorry about that."Zion, standing by the door, noticed Yvonne had brought her home and immediately guessed, "Did you have another fight with Nash?"He guessed right, but Nina did not want to face it. "Can't I come home without it being a big deal? It's not like I haven't stayed here before. You’re always jumping to conclusions and assuming the worst.""We’re just worried about you," Julia said. "We only want you to be happy. You’re pregnant, and if you’re upset, your father and I will be heartbroken. So we wan
"Is that so?" Nina could not be sure. Her memories were fragmented, recollections brought on by stress. She had no idea what she had truly gone through.Zion sighed deeply, his voice heavy with emotion. "I'm sorry we hid it from you. When you went missing, we reported it to the police. They said you disappeared from school, but they couldn't find you. After months of searching, you returned on your own. When we saw you, you were covered in wounds, curled up at our doorstep. You were mumbling incoherently, clearly out of your mind, and then you passed out. You were unconscious for a long time. When you woke up, you were back to normal, but you couldn’t remember anything that happened. You had even incorporated others’ memories as your own."Thinking back to that time, it was a dark period for them."You didn’t want to remember, so we didn’t want others to know, fearing it would hurt you again," Julia explained. "You didn’t want to remember, so we didn’t want anyone else to know eit
As her father, how could Zion not worry? Even though he did not mention it in front of Julia, he kept it in his heart, fearing Nina might repeat her past mistakes.Julia’s heart raced with anxiety over this matter. Nina comforted her, soothing her until she finally calmed down and went to rest. Zion remained in the living room, waiting for Nina. When Julia had gone to the bedroom, Zion sat there, calmly drinking tea, and asked, "What’s been happening lately?"Hearing her father's question, Nina walked over. "What is it, Dad?""You haven’t been home in a long time," Zion said. "Your mother already mentioned that you came back with a big belly. Have you even considered how long it’s been since you spent time with us? Have you been too busy, or has something happened? Is your relationship with Nash really stable?"His concern was primarily for her happiness and safety."Dad, you really don’t need to worry. I can handle it."Zion pressed on, "Have they come after you again?"Nina
"Yes, Miranda hasn't come to the office. She's gone missing," someone at the company remarked indifferently.Initially, Nina had planned to use her recovered memories to scare Miranda into revealing something. But learning that Miranda hadn't shown up at work for days was puzzling.She remembered Miranda being released from prison and participating in some events, although those events were lackluster. Miranda's reputation had taken a nosedive, and her career seemed over, but it shouldn’t have led to her disappearance. Maybe Miranda was using her disappearance as another publicity stunt?Given her past behavior, it was hard not to be suspicious. However, if the company was unaware of her whereabouts, it was probably not just a stunt."Miranda is missing, and she's still part of your company. Aren't you going to report it to the police?" Nina asked."We're not her family. Company policy dictates we can't act without higher authorization. We have to avoid damaging the company's im
Hearing her voice, Nash's cold face showed a hint of reaction. He turned his head in her direction and, sure enough, saw Nina standing there.Nina quickly walked over, afraid they would miss each other if he got into the elevator. Seeing Nash pause, she felt relieved."Mrs. York," Quincy called respectfully.Nina frowned, staring at Nash. He remained silent, his eyes questioning what she was doing there.Nina stepped into the elevator and commanded, "You come in. The rest, stay out. I have something to discuss with him."Her authoritative tone left no room for argument, and no one dared to join them except Nash, who, despite his puzzled expression, followed her into the elevator.The elevator ascended to Nash's private floor. Once the doors opened, Nina silently walked towards his office, knowing Nash would follow.Once inside, she closed the door and confronted him, "Did you kidnap Miranda?"In the confined space between the door and Nash, she left him no room to move. Nash na
Nina's expression changed. She was worried about him, but he responded with such irresponsible words."Nash, do you even know what you're saying?"Nash laughed, "Is this your first day knowing me? This is who I am. Maybe I'll do something to hurt you in the future!"Looking at his unfamiliar face and hearing such words, Nina felt her worry was misplaced. She pushed him hard, anger etched on her face. "I've overthought everything. I see now you're beyond saving. Since you won't listen to reason, I won't waste my breath. Do whatever you want. I'm done!"Nash stumbled back a couple of steps, lowering his head so Nina couldn't see his face. She couldn't understand why they had come to this point, why Nash had changed so much. She felt like being here today was a joke.She was about to leave but then remembered why she came. She stopped and said, "I came here today to find Miranda and ask her if she was involved in luring me into the organization. You should know Miranda’s character be
"Am I dying? Why does it hurt so much?" Nina had never experienced pain like this before.Nash looked at her, sweat starting to bead on his forehead. "You're not dying. The baby is coming. Just hold on a little longer.""Ah!" Nina couldn't help but cry out in pain, her veins standing out as she looked at him. "Nash, this is your child. You have to take good care of him. His life depends on you."Nina knew that giving birth would take every last bit of her strength. As long as she could still breathe, she needed to make sure Nash would take care of their child.Nash looked at her without speaking. The scent of blood filled the air, and his eyes turned red as he took deep breaths.Seeing him silent, Nina assumed he hadn't agreed and continued, "This is your first child... Even if you marry someone else in the future, don't let him suffer... He only has you..."Tears streamed from Nina's eyes. Nash's grip on the car seat was so strong that he tore a deep gash into the upholstery.
Quincy soon returned with news."Nash, there’s a doctor here, an obstetrician with thirty years of experience."The doctor was a middle-aged woman with glasses, exuding an air of professionalism, which reassured them."Please save my wife. Ensure that both she and the baby are safe. I’ll pay whatever it takes!" Nash pleaded with the doctor, willing to give up everything for their safety."Let me through, quickly!" The doctor, focused and diligent, wasted no time and went straight to Nina.The traffic jam seemed unmovable for the time being.Nina was already bleeding. She had scheduled a C-section and was in contact with her doctor. Today, she planned to deal with Miranda and then head to the hospital for delivery. The unexpected onset of labor meant she had to deliver naturally. She desperately wanted Nash’s presence, her hands reaching out but failing to find him. She grabbed onto anything for support, crying out in pain.The doctor beside her tried to soothe her, "Don’t worr
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