"Quarrels between husband and wife happen all the time; it's just part of marriage. What's the big deal? I'll let Nash know you're in the hospital so he won't worry himself sick about you."Nina internally resisted. "Please, don't tell him.""Didn't you hear what the nurse said? You need to notify your family. Without that, you can't leave the hospital," Caleb insisted.Nina glanced at Caleb. "I hope you stay out of this."Her complexion was dreadful, and she was stubborn, but her tone mirrored Nash's. Truly like a married couple.Caleb continued, "Nash has been searching all over for you. I've already reached out to him, and he'll be here at the hospital soon."Nina pursed her lips tightly. She didn't want to, but Caleb was Nash's friend, surely biased toward him.Afraid that Nina might try to escape, Caleb kept a close eye on her until Nash arrived at the hospital.He was out of breath. Upon seeing Nina, he finally relaxed and walked over briskly. "What's wrong? Where does it
She should not be asking for anything more, but rather, she should let their relationship go back to square one. That was what she should do.Nash felt everything was normal yet somewhat abnormal. Looking at her pale face, he couldn't bring himself to question too much. Instead, he said, "Next time, don't be so reckless to run off alone. At least take your phone with you and have someone with you so I can find you immediately."Nina bitterly smiled. What was he pretending for? Was he pretending to care about her to make up for his guilt? Should she play along with his act?"I understand. I'll listen to you," Nina replied obediently.Nash took a chair and sat across from her. His deep gaze scanned her several times, ensuring she had no other issues. Then he asked, "Nina, do you remember what happened that night?"Nina asked uncertainly, "Which night?""The night I had business and got drunk," Nash said flatly, but it made Nina tense up.Her gaze rested on Nash. It had been a wh
"Nina," Nash called out to her.Nina looked up, responding, "Yes?""That woman from that night was you," Nash stated.Nina's body tensed for a moment, unable to react normally, but she quickly forced a smile, "Mr. York, are you serious? I only got to the scene the next day. I even had Taylor send clothes for you. If it were me, you would have noticed long before. I wish it were me, maybe we'd already have a child."Her casual response made Nash somewhat uncertain. But her attitude showed she didn't mind, even though he was her husband, sleeping with another woman didn't seem to bother her.His tone turned colder, "Then go find out for sure."With that, Nash left the hospital room.Nina's smile faded as soon as he left, consumed by self-doubt. Before she could dwell on it further, the doctor entered from outside and, seeing only Nina inside, asked, "Where are your family members?"Nina snapped back to attention, looking up, "Doctor, if you have anything to discuss, just tell me.
Nina remembered the day Miranda had stormed out in tears.But now, Miranda could smile at her.Being able to come to the company and leave with a smile, there must be something good happening.Nina wasn't feeling confident at the moment, and she didn't want to embarrass herself by paying attention to Miranda.Instead of getting angry, Miranda smiled. Just as Nina was about to step into the elevator, Miranda spoke, "Nina, I know, soon you won't be the same anymore. Iâll let you enjoy the limelight for a few days, it's not a big deal anyway. In the end, Nash will still reject you."As the elevator doors closed, Nina saw Miranda's victorious smile, as if she already knew that Nina would ultimately be a sacrificial lamb in the marriage.Nina's expression soured, her hands clenched into fists.Subconsciously, she looked at her belly, thinking about the child inside. She still had to hold onto hope.When she reached the office, everyone was busy working. Instead of returning to her
Her actions caused Nash to furrow his brows deeply. He retracted his hand and asked coldly, "Am I that scary?"Nina just looked at him, unable to utter a word.Her rejection of him stirred up a sense of irritation in Nash's heart. His expression turned extremely cold as he dismissed her, "If there's nothing else, leave."It took Nina quite some time to calm down after the recent ordeal. Only then could she ease herself from the shadow of what had just happened. After expecting the child, everything seemed different. She couldn't allow him to harm their child.Nina stood up, took a few steps back, and respectfully said to Nash, "I will take care of the tasks you assigned, Mr. York. Please rest assured."With that, she left the office without looking back. Her words left Nash with a displeased expression, the more he thought about it, the more irked he became.After a while, Quincy came in. "Mr. York, the meeting is still ongoing...""Get out!" Nash growled lowly.---Nina walked out, h
"Linda Clark."The girl named Linda had long hair that gave off a delicate, timid vibe. She was thin and shy. Though her physique resembled Nina's, her face resembled Miranda's, innocent and pureâa type of beauty that men couldn't resist.The lady boss introduced her to Nina: "This is our new girl. She's beautiful and still undergoing training. She hasn't started working yet. She's from a rural family. Her mother is sick back home and in urgent need of money. Her background is clean."Nina felt she couldn't have found a more suitable candidateâyouthful, beautiful, and evoking a man's protective instincts. She seemed like the type Nash would like."She's the one," Nina said.Linda didn't know why they called her over or what they wanted from her. Fear flickered in her eyes, and she seemed a bit flustered as she stuttered, "What do you want from me? I've just arrived, but I won't sell my body. I won't do anything that compromises my integrity."Nina understood her panic and didn't
"This girl is beautiful and young. What man can resist such temptation?" Yvonne expressed some concern. There would be no man in this world who would not be swayed by such allure. Even the most disciplined would feel some impulse upon seeing such a young girl.Given the current situation, Nina had no other options left. "I have no choice," Nina could only muster a forced smile. "Even so, I must do this. Otherwise, I will surely regret not making this decision today."She couldn't risk her child.Yvonne wasn't entirely clear about Nina's intentions, but since she had chosen this path, there must be a hidden reason behind it. Yvonne didn't press her for details. If Nina wanted to share, she would.However, seeing them reconcile not long ago and now encountering this situation, it must be something serious. Yvonne sympathized with her. If not for the obstacle of Nash, Nina would have been quite happy.Yvonne just offered a caution, "Be careful, not only with Nash but also with this g
The two of them shared a laugh. Yvonne had another meeting to rush to, so they went their separate ways after chatting for a while.Instead of heading home, Nina found herself wandering aimlessly, her mind blank, unsure of her thoughts. Almost instinctively, she ended up at the middle school she had attended over a decade ago.As society had progressed, the middle school had seen significant changes, with renovations and expansions resulting in several new buildings. However, the stone at the entrance, weathered by time, remained unchanged, still bearing the inscription "Bright Middle School."This was where she had spent her middle school years, the place where she had first encountered Nash.She would never forget that day, August 13th, when she had come close to death.It happened right at this school gate, just after noon dismissal. Like most of her classmates, she had walked out of the school gate when several masked kidnappers appeared, carrying large bags on their shoulders
If his son were in the same situation, Caleb figured he would probably do what his father was doing now. Forget it. âFine,â he said at last. âYou can stall my father for now. But let me be clearâwhatever money you take from him, youâll have to pay back later.â He had no intention of having a child with Vera. Vera readily agreed. âAlright. As long as I can clear my familyâs debt, Iâll do whatever you ask.â âFirst, put your clothes back on.â 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 wasnât 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 hadnât heard any movement, and since he didnât want to turn around prematurely, he was caught off guard when Vera spoke. âIâm dressed.â 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. âVera, I finally understand why no one is willing to help the Mason family. Thereâs not a single decent person among you!â Vera had anticipated Calebâs anger, but she never thought he would lash out like this, dragging her entire family into it. Say what he wanted about herâbut how could he insult her family? Frustration flared in her eyes. âI know what Iâm doing is wrong. But I have no other choice. Caleb, you donât have to take your anger out on my family.â âIf your family was so âgood,â then why did they leave you with mountains of debt? Why is your brother missing?â Caleb snapped, his voice sharp. He hadnât wanted to throw those words at her, b
Calebâs 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 didnât feel good. âCaleb, Iâve never trampled on your feelings,â Luna said, her voice hoarse and her gaze tinged with sorrow. âI never once accepted your proposals. If I were you, I wouldnât have proposed a second time. I wouldâve kept my distance. Iâve always seen you as a friend, but look at the things youâve done and the words youâve said. Iâm not obligated to say yes to you, yet you bring someone else into this just to put on some sort of show?â Her voice cracked, and the pain in her eyes was unmistakable. Calebâs smirk deepened, his tone dripping with sarcasm. âYouâre right. Youâre not obligated to accept me. But have you ever thought about this? When you call for me, Iâm not obligated to come running, either. And as for your accusationâIâm not âputting on a showâ with anyone. The girl who came here with me
Caleb stayed by the operating room until Lunaâs 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, âAm I⊠dead?â The sharp smell of disinfectant made her dizzy, and the unfamiliar surroundings only heightened her anxiety. âThis is the hospital,â Caleb said softly. âYou had appendicitis, and surgery was necessary.â Hearing Calebâs voice, Luna finally relaxed. She wasnât 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. âDonât bother looking,â he said coolly. âItâs just me here. I arranged for a VIP room for your recovery.â Only then did Luna let out a long breath of relief. She
âMy fatherâs interest is just a passing phase,â Caleb said calmly. âOnce he realizes thereâs no outcome, heâll naturally let it go. Iâve been in love with someone who didnât love me backâit was exhausting. So why would I willingly enter a marriage with someone I donât even have feelings for?âCaleb didnât want a marriage without love, and he certainly didnât want the worst-case scenarioâa child born into such a situation. Even though Vera had suggested signing an agreement where the child would stay with him, Caleb couldnât bring himself to agree. How could a child grow up happy without a motherâs love? And what would he do when the child inevitably started asking for their mom? He couldnât bear the thought of the child calling someone else âmom.â And if he stayed with Vera just for the child, wouldnât that create a miserable, loveless relationship for both of them? It was better to draw a clear line from the beginning. Vera hadnât expected Caleb to be so straightforward a
Calebâs words left Vera increasingly confused. He had taken her along to see Luna, and now that Luna had been brought to the hospital, there wasnât much else for her to do. What could Caleb possibly want from her now? If he wanted to continue their "act," he wouldâve stopped her earlier, not waited until now to come looking for her. But Caleb remained silent, and Vera didnât 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. âYou donât have money, and your father is in a standard hospital room. If you donât rest properly, how will you have the energy to take care of him? Here.â He pulled out a key and handed it to Vera. âThis is the key to my dorm at the hospital. I donât use it often. You can rest and freshen up there.â Vera stared at Caleb in disbelief. Caleb had made it clear he didnât 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. âThis is appendicitis,â Caleb said firmly. âWe need to get you to the hospital right away.â He didnât even use the supplies in the first aid kit. However, Luna noticed Vera standing there and was visibly startled. She hadnât expected Caleb to bring someone elseâespecially Veraâalong. When Caleb bent down to lift Luna, she resisted, trying to push him away. âCaleb, what are you doing? Whatâs the point of all this? Why are you acting like this?â Calebâs focus was entirely on Lunaâs 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. âCaleb, look at me. Iâm not as bad as you think. Whether itâs real or fake, I can do it.â Without responding to her plea, Caleb coldly threw out a single sentence, âYou can sleep in the car tonight.â 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, Lunaâs voice was laced with pain. âCaleb, can you come over? My stomach hurts⊠really badlyâŠâ Her words were like a hook, sinking deep into Calebâs heart. He loved Luna and couldnât bear to see her in pain or distress. Yet, he forced himself to remain clear-headed. âIsnât Simon with you? Call him,â 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. âSince you asked me to drive, I figured Iâd drop you off at your place first.â âIs that so?â Caleb scoffed, a mocking smile playing on his lips. âAnd after you drop me off, how are you planning to get back?â 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 offânothing more. But Caleb didnât believe her. He grabbed her shoulder with one hand, his grip firm. âIâm asking you a question. Why arenât you answering?â Vera knew avoiding the question wouldnât work with him. He wasnât the type to let things slide. âIf I didnât drop you off, h