Nina was the first to notice the figure standing at the entrance. The sunset glow bathed him in a golden light, making him look radiant. It was Scott!Instinctively, Nina pushed away Wilfred and tried to walk towards Scott, but her legs felt like they were made of lead."Scott," she murmured. Wilfred stayed close to her, ready to catch her if she stumbled.Scott noticed Nina too. He had overheard someone mentioning her to Nash over the phone and had followed the directions to find her. Seeing her now, she matched the image he had in his mind. She was beautiful. Bits and pieces of memories flitted through his mind, but he couldn’t quite grasp them.Nina saw the clarity in Scott’s eyes, and memories of searching for him in the slave camp flashed back. Scott had lost his past.Nina turned to Wilfred. "Wilfred, can you help him remember his memories?"If a person lost their past, their entire life would feel empty. Nina believed it was cruel for Scott to forget everything, includin
"Call me Nina," she said.Before, it was just a name, and she had not spent much time with Wilfred. She did not know that Ivy was the Pharaoh's daughter's name. Now that she knew, a sense of powerlessness overwhelmed her."I've always called you Ivy. From the moment I met you, you were Ivy. Even though you're Nina now, Ivy, no one can change your past. We are born with many things beyond our control, but we must strive to understand them fully," Wilfred said, looking at her.Understand fully? Nina wanted to laugh but could not."I know about the Pharaoh and his followers—how they killed, burned, and looted, and how he turned you into this! He did it all for his own selfish desires."The scenes Nina had witnessed played in her mind like movie clips, one after another. She could not imagine how she had survived in the Yaren tribe as Ivy."I'm tired, Wilfred. I want to sleep. When Nash comes back, wake me up." She turned over and lay back on the camp bed.Wilfred stayed by her side
Nina couldn't bring herself to say what she felt, but Nash understood.He cupped Nina's face and kissed her deeply, as if trying to merge her into his own body. But at the critical moment, he pulled away."Rest here for a few days. I'll arrange everything for your departure.""Alright," Nina replied, breathless, watching Nash leave the tent.Nash had further preparations to make. Deploying forces for Nina's sake had convinced the Yaren tribe to surrender, but it had also led to disciplinary action against him. He was now on three days' suspension.Unable to explain everything to Nina himself, Nash sent James to update her on the situation.Nina understood. However, she hadn't seen Scarlett yet."Where's Scarlett?" she asked instinctively."She's in another tent, Ms. Nina. Don't worry, she's doing well. Captain has enlisted her as a soldier to help her regain some of her memories through muscle memory training.""Take me to her.""Of course," James said, leading the way.With
Nina shook her head. "You shouldn’t take me out to relax, you have your own work to do. I can't keep affecting you."Nash was confined because of her, and she believed he should stay with his unit. They had plenty of time in the future."Foolish girl, how could you be a burden? It's me... I'm sorry. I'm still not strong enough, still too negligent. I failed to protect you, that's why you got hurt."There was a glint in Nash's eyes, and his voice grew hoarse with emotion.It pained Nina to see Nash apologizing. She put her hand on his lips. "Don't say that. I understand. I'll take Scott and Scarlett back."To her surprise, neither Scarlett nor Scott wanted to leave. Scarlett was thriving as a soldier, enjoying her new life. Scott found a sense of peace around Nina, even with their limited interactions.Respecting their wishes was essential, but Nina felt it necessary to insist with Scott. She approached him to explain."I don't know why you don't want to go back, but you have fam
"This isn't my territory. I don't make the rules," Nina replied hoarsely, pursing her lips.She understood Wilfred's feelings and intentions, but she saw him only as a friend."Then I'll go talk to Nash," Wilfred said earnestly, waving at Nina before heading off to find Nash.In a few minutes, he found Nash in his tent, standing in front of a map. Dressed in his military uniform, Nash exuded an air of authority that set him apart. It was not just the uniform. Nash had an inherent quality that made it clear why Nina was so captivated by him.Wilfred hesitated for a moment before approaching Nash. "Nina has a problem. You know that, right?"Nash paused, lowering his marker, and met Wilfred's gaze. Though he said nothing, his intense, dark eyes spoke volumes."It seems you do," Wilfred observed."Yes," Nash finally replied.Wilfred continued, "She likely experienced strong empathy in the slave camp, absorbing others' pain and suffering until she believed their experiences were her
Nina held the flowers close, inhaling their scent. Soon, Nash approached her, his eyes filled with tenderness. "It's a shame we don't have a phone to capture this moment," he said. "Now I understand why people like to take pictures everywhere. They want to freeze these beautiful moments."Nina chuckled. "Look at our situation. After everything we've been through, my perspective has changed."She had always been cautious, working as Nash's secretary, strictly adhering to his instructions, and hiding their relationship from everyone. Now, with all they had endured, the thought of taking photos seemed trivial.Nash smiled and sat down beside her, pulling her into his embrace. "Nina, I know I've let you down in so many ways. I'm working hard to take care of everything so I can be the Nash you deserve.""Mm, I know," Nina murmured, leaning into his chest as they watched the sunset together.Gently stroking her hair, Nash said, "Nina, Micah and the Pharaoh are here. The Yaren tribe ha
Nina had never seen the Pharaoh without his mask. But now, the Pharaoh stood beside Micah, his eyes deeply fixed on her.She averted her gaze. "I don’t plan on returning to the Yaren tribe," she said calmly, not intending to acknowledge the Pharaoh or her connection to the tribe. Her tone was cold and detached.Nash put his arm around her shoulder. Though he said nothing, his determined look made it clear that he supported her decision completely. He would stand by her no matter what.The Pharaoh, trembling, took a step towards Nina. "Ivy…" he croaked, his voice choked with emotion.Nina waved him off. "My name is Nina," she corrected. His voice made Nina feel uncomfortable, as if a heavy stone was pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe. Emotions and attitudes can change over time, but this reunion was difficult for both of them.The Pharaoh had imagined many scenarios of their reunion, including the possibility of Nina's coldness. But now, facing it, he couldn't deny ho
"We would like to stay here for a while," Micah proposed, seizing the opportunity.Nash understood the real reason behind Micah and the Pharaoh wanting to stay. They hoped that proximity would allow them to win Nina over. Before Nash could respond, Micah gestured for him to follow outside. Without a word, Nash signaled his subordinate to take care of the Pharaoh while he and Micah stepped out.Once outside the tent, Micah spoke frankly, "My father was deceived by Seth. He truly cares for Ivy. Given how close you and Nina are, could you help mediate between them?"Micah looked at Nash with a hopeful glint in his eyes. Nash had not forgotten how Micah had helped both him and Nina during their time in the Yaren tribe. Without Micah's assistance, their safe exit would have been impossible.However, Nash was not Nina. He could not make decisions on her behalf. He had already done that once previously and faced her resentment. After everything they had been through, he could not risk h
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