"There's a situation!""Quickly, defend!""Protect the villagers!"Chaos erupted as the battle began, filling the area with the sound of gunfire and the smell of blood. Intense firefights broke out immediately.Some villagers, unable to escape in time, found themselves caught in the crossfire, desperately covering their heads and trying to flee. Bullets flew mercilessly, and innocent villagers were struck down, falling lifeless to the ground. The sound of artillery and smoke filled the air, mingling with the stench of blood."Waaah—"Children, barely two or three years old, stood helplessly in the midst of the chaos, crying out for their mothers in fear."Protect the children!"Special forces quickly scooped up the children, shielding them with their bodies and rushing them to safety.The Allied forces were well-prepared but encountered unexpected resistance from the Birkham peacekeeping troops. Realizing they were outmatched in both weaponry and combat skill, the Allied tro
Nina could see everything clearly now. The blankets and cups, along with other items, were all adorned with yellow stars.Could it be..."Teacher! You're finally awake!" Sean shouted excitedly as he ran into her arms.Nina was momentarily stunned but then instinctively patted his head."You’re awake!" Another voice said.A soldier in uniform stepped inside, lifting the curtain."Miss, how are you feeling?" the soldier asked, approaching Nina.Hearing familiar English, Nina immediately felt a surge of safety, almost like being home. "I'm okay. Are you... Are you from the Birkham army?""Yes," the soldier replied, a hint of excitement in his voice. "It's so chaotic here. I didn’t expect to meet someone from our country."Nina's first thought was whether she might meet Nash. But seeing the soldier in front of her, she realized he probably didn’t know her or Nash. She decided to ask cautiously, "Do you know Nash York?”To her surprise, the soldier's eyes lit up. "Ah, you know our
Their eyes met, and it felt like an eternity. Despite spending so much time together in the past, this first glance after their long separation felt particularly precious. Tears welled up in Nina's eyes. Seeing him safe and sound mattered more than any words.She didn't step forward, trying hard to control her emotions. Before coming here, she had often wondered if they would ever see each other again. Just seeing him was already a blessing. Compared to his safety, her grievances seemed insignificant.They didn't approach each other. From a distance, their eyes conveyed all the longing they felt. "Captain York," a soldier called out, breaking the moment. "Everyone's waiting for you inside."Nash turned back. "Right," he replied and walked inside without hesitation.Nina stayed where she was, watching until his figure disappeared. A sense of loss filled her heart, but she reminded herself that they were divorced. No disappointment could surpass the heartbreak of receiving the di
The rice looked coarse and not particularly appetizing."Here you go."Suddenly, Nina caught a whiff of fragrant rice. She looked up to see Nash standing in front of her, gazing at her with a serious expression. In his hand was a bowl of clean white rice.Nina was momentarily stunned. Seeing her hesitation, Nash placed the bowl next to her, setting a spoon on top. "Eat."He then took the bowl of slightly blackened rice and began to eat. Nina watched him intently, then asked, "Is this all you eat?"Nash sat on a stone beside her. "Yes."Nina pressed her lips together, noticing how much he had changed. The once dignified Nash, who used to have everything at the highest standard, was now eating this coarse rice in such harsh conditions. She glanced at the bowl of white rice and said, "I'm not that delicate. I've gotten used to the life here in Yaren. You didn't have to go out of your way to get white rice for me."Nash glanced at her. "There's not much white rice left. Don't wast
"Got it, James!""You were all talking so animatedly; I want to see who this person is..." James didn't believe Nash would be interested in any young girl, especially since he had someone back home. He was curious and peeked over, only to see a familiar-looking figure from behind. He also noticed Nash's gaze, which was indeed as affectionate as the others had described.He silently remarked, "This is bad! There's going to be trouble back home!"James grew anxious. If Nash found a girlfriend here, what about the wife back home?Curious, one of the soldiers nudged him, "What do you think, James?"James pushed them back, "Stop gossiping! Captain isn't like that!""Okay, okay!"They listened to James and quieted down. But inside, James was nervous. He was more anxious than anyone else. He knew how deeply Nash felt for Nina, so it didn't seem likely he had feelings for someone else. But that back view looked a lot like Nina's.Oh no!Could Captain have found a substitute?---
Hearing this, Nina still felt a pang of sorrow. They were living through what their ancestors had endured. Though she hadn't experienced it herself, every time she read about it or saw it in media, she felt a deep empathy for their suffering and a profound appreciation for her country's rapid development. It was a reminder to never forget the past.Just then, Nash emerged and saw Nina talking with Carl. He noticed her gently patting Carl's back, comforting him. They seemed to get along well, as if they had known each other for a long time. Nash's expression darkened, his brows furrowing slightly.Nina, seeing Carl's downcast demeanor, felt a protective, almost sisterly affection for him. She moved closer, offering her shoulder for him to lean on, hoping to instill some positive energy and a glimmer of hope. "Let’s work towards rebuilding our nation!" she said to him.Carl looked into her eyes, finding motivation in her determined gaze.A sudden cough interrupted them. Carl quickl
"Really?" Nina was a bit surprised.Nash glanced at her, his tone calm. "Your clothes are dirty. You probably need a shower."Nina looked down at herself. At home, she used to shower every day. Here, with such harsh conditions, she had given up on that luxury. She had been buried under rubble and had been through a lot, so she definitely wasn't clean. She hadn't expected Nash to be so considerate.She couldn't help but sniff herself. "Do I smell?""No." Nash's deep eyes locked onto hers. "I just know you like to stay clean."His words left Nina momentarily dazed. She looked up at Nash, feeling the distance between them. Despite the divorce papers in hand, he still showed her such thoughtful care.His actions revealed that he was still attentive to her needs.Nina bit her lip, shifting her gaze to avoid the unclear and complicated feelings between them. "Alright."Nina nodded and said, "I'll go back now.""Okay."Nina turned to leave. Nash watched her until she disappeared fro
Her expression grew more awkward, and she let out a light huff, "So what if I did?"Nina crossed her arms and looked at her with a hint of amusement. "Why are you bringing me food? Weren't you trying to kick me out just a few days ago?"Arin's pride was visibly bruised. She glanced at Nina and then looked away. "I didn't want you to starve. The village is in shambles, and many people are eating communal meals. When I didn't see you around, I worried you'd starve to death. I don't want another death in our village."The excuse was flimsy. Nina remembered Arin's previous antics and the fact that she had saved Arin's brother. It was probably guilt that prompted Arin to bring her a meal.Nina walked inside, sat down, and glanced at the food. "There's even meat. Did you bring out your family's best for this?""Who says that!" Arin followed her inside. "Everyone's eating this. I'm not making any special treatment for you!"Despite her defiant attitude, Arin was still a young girl who c
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