Nina was the most important person to Nash. If he were here, he would not let her suffer any mistreatment. Now, standing by Nina's side, Quincy had to represent the deceased Nash's position, not only to protect Nina but also to maintain his own integrity.Quincy’s gaze hardened. "Before Mr. York passed away, he transferred all his assets to Miss Nina. Here are the transfer dates. At that time, Miss Nina was in labor, but unfortunately, the child did not survive. Given how many years Miss Nina stood by Mr. York's side, her receiving these assets is completely justified.""Nina, you called for me?" As Quincy finished speaking, a surprised voice approached. Zoe, wearing a light purple dress and sporting short auburn hair, walked over, exuding both sensuality and charm.Nina smiled and walked towards Zoe. "Aunt Zoe."She greeted her before turning to the crowd. "Since you all object to me having York Corporation’s assets, I'll transfer everything to a member of the York family. If th
Sally's gaze was sharp and her expression was dark and foreboding. She was clearly prepared for a showdown with Zoe.Zoe, however, was not one to back down. "Outsider? Am I considered an outsider now?"Nina had not expected that even transferring the assets to Zoe would provoke such a strong reaction from Sally. "Aunt Zoe, I didn't bring you here to argue with others. That wasn't my intention, and I don't want you to be upset. I have the authority to transfer the assets to you."With that, Nina gave Quincy a look. Although Quincy had not anticipated Nina's decision, he followed her instructions in front of everyone and handed the original documents to Zoe.Zoe pressed her lips together, ready to speak, but Nina quickly continued, "I have my own plans and no interest in managing the company. Aunt Zoe, Nash cared deeply about this company and wanted to preserve the York family legacy. You are the best person for the job. Quincy, regarding your request for leave, please discuss it wit
As Zoe spoke, she moved toward Sally. Though Zoe was not very tall, she had an imposing presence that made Sally feel small.Sally's face turned pale. The relationship between her and Miranda was known throughout the York family. From beginning to end, she had been a laughable clown. No wonder Mr. York Sr. never spoke much to her, didn't accept her arrangements, and chose Nina as Nash's wife instead. No wonder William never came home. No wonder Zoe always looked at her with disdain, and Nina held her in such contempt."Hahaha!" Sally burst into maniacal laughter, losing all semblance of dignity. Zoe, uninterested in prolonging the encounter, turned and left the conference room.But where was Nina?Nina was currently leaving York Corporation, planning to visit her parents. Scarlett followed her closely, worried that Nina might be overwhelmed by her emotions.Sitting in the car, Nina received a call from Zoe."Aunt Zoe," Nina answered.Zoe tried to comfort her, "I know you
Hearing this, Zion and Julia exchanged worried glances. Why was Nina speaking like this after just one trip? Could it be?Their throats felt tight as if something was lodged there, and their eyes were clouded with worry. They sensed a problem but did not know how to address it. Eventually, Nina spoke first, "Mom, Dad, I know I'm not your biological daughter, but you've treated me better than any real parents could."With that, Nina fell to her knees, overwhelmed with emotion. Zion and Julia immediately tried to help her up. Tears streamed down her face as she looked up at them, her eyes red and swollen."You have given me more than I could ever repay," Nina said, her voice breaking. "But rest assured, I only acknowledge myself as your daughter. I will always remember your kindness, and you will always be my parents. Here are all my savings."In the past, Nina would regularly send money to their account, which they saved without spending, always giving back to her whenever the
If Nina did not want to get married, then she wouldn’t. Regardless, Julia just wanted Nina to live a good life. If she ended up alone without children, then she could adopt a child. If she did not want children, that was fine too.Nina was deeply moved. They were not her biological parents, but they were the best parents in the world, having given her a home. During her lowest moments, they had held her hand, guiding her out of the darkness and into the light.With tears in her eyes but a smile on her face, Nina said, "Mom, Dad, I’ve made my decision. Nash died doing his job. He left things unfinished, and I want to continue his work in my own way. If I die over there, I’ll die serving my country and helping the poor. It would be a meaningful death."Nina had made up her mind. The night she returned, she submitted her application online. Because of her previous work experience, she had already received a response. She had three days to get everything in order before leaving for Salt
"I don't want it. Once I go over there, when will I have time to spend money?" Nina refused.Zion, however, spoke firmly, "Nina, didn't you just say we will always be your parents? That makes us family, and it's only right for parents to give their children money."Nina, when you're over there, there will be times when you need money. Think about the poor, injured children and elderly people you might see. Won't you want to buy things for them?"His voice was hoarse but calm, full of understanding rather than the earlier sorrow.Nina had not considered this. She opened her mouth but could not find any words.Julia chimed in, "Take it, it's a small token from your father and me. This way, when you help others, good things will come back to you, and we both want you to come back safely.""Alright." In the end, Nina accepted the bank cards. She had initially thought about keeping her plans secret from her parents, but realized that if they could not find her, they would worry endl
Scarlett had always been by Nina's side, ready to protect her. But Nina wanted to handle things on her own. She knew Scarlett meant well, but she could not let Scarlett stay by her side forever."Scarlett, you have your own life to live. Trust me, when I made this decision, I promised myself I would take care of myself."Scarlett understood Nina's stubbornness. Once Nina made up her mind, she rarely changed it. While she could not openly argue with Nina, Scarlett resolved to support her from the shadows. If something happened to Nina, she felt that the late Nash and Wilfred would never forgive her. And she would not forgive herself either.After settling everything, Nina embarked on her journey to Salterra.……Five years later.Nina had become a seasoned war journalist. On this particular day, she was in the northern region of Salterra, reporting on the latest developments. Suddenly, the sky was lit up with the glow of war, the horizon ablaze.Her broadcast was interrupted by
The child, like a little kitten, lay obediently on her chest, his small hands pressed firmly against her. Nina initially wanted to move his hand away, but then she heard him speak softly, "Your heartbeat makes me feel so safe..."He even hugged Nina tighter.In her five years as a war journalist, Nina had encountered many children, but there was something inexplicable about this one. His soft voice tugged at her heart.She carried the child outside and managed to quickly get into a Birkhamese military vehicle amidst the swirling dust and sand."Can you please take us to the embassy?" she asked."Sure," the driver replied.The soldier driving the car noticed the press badge hanging around Nina's neck and the child in her arms. The drive to the embassy took over forty minutes.Once they arrived, Nina carried the child inside and found the designated officer, intending to hand the child over. But the child clung tightly to her hand."You don't need to be afraid. This is one of our
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