"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 pure—a 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 candidate—youthful, 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
She had a conviction back then, believing she had to find the young man who had saved her, refusing to be forever trapped in the shadows. Taking a six-month hiatus from school, she later returned, diligently scouring for information about the young man.Eventually, she discovered his name was Nash and he attended the city's top high school. His name lacked the letter "Z," yet people called him Zac. She found it odd but figured it might be his nickname.She worked hard and managed to gain admission to his high school. However, she merely observed quietly from afar, never intruding on his space. He excelled in basketball, academics, and came from a wealthy family. He was so outstanding that she felt she wasn't worthy of him, so she just kept silent. Even as she passed by him, he wouldn't spare her a second glance, having long forgotten the girl he once rescued."Nina."Nina was lost in her thoughts, reminiscing on the past with bitterness, excitement, and affection, until her thoug
"You're too kind. It's an honor for me to give back to my hometown, especially to my alma mater," Scott replied.Wallace was very pleased. His students had achieved success, bringing glory to their alma mater.Since starting work, Nina hadn't visited the school much. Encountering them now, it wasn't easy to leave, so she could only listen quietly.Nina admired Scott's donation of ten million to the school. Despite furthering his studies abroad, he hadn't forgotten his roots. If it were someone else who had succeeded elsewhere, they might not have come back."Nina, I heard you're now working at York Corporation," Wallace suddenly turned his gaze to Nina.Nina was taken aback.Wallace asked with concern, "Are you doing okay?"Nina was surprised. "You know about that, Mr. Wallace?"With so many students, it was impossible for him to remember what each one was doing.Wallace explained, "I've met Mr. York a few times. He mentioned you, so I knew you've been at York Corporation, alt
Perhaps he was worried about her. But she was fine now, so why did he still have such a look in his eyes? However, what surprised her was that he knew about it the second year. "It seems the news had spread to Estaland," Nina responded.Scott continued. "That year, I came back once."Nina stared at him, unsure of what he was about to say, but he went on, "But I quickly returned to Estaland, without even getting a chance to say hello to you.""It's okay. We weren't that close back then," Nina replied.Scott just smiled. "Yeah, we weren't close like we are now. But looking back, I regret it. If I hadn't gone abroad, things might have been different. I could have protected you when you were in danger, preventing you from getting hurt. They couldn't have kidnapped you if I was there.""You have quite the sense of humor," Nina didn't take his words too seriously as they carried a half-joking tone. "I heard from Mr. Walker that you later developed post-traumatic stress disorder and to
Moreover, he had only recently returned to the country, which made the situation even more unlikely.Nina matched his pace as they walked side by side.Scott relished the feeling of walking with her, a subtle smile adorning his lips.However, their tranquil moment was abruptly interrupted by a passing car.As the vehicle approached directly towards them, Scott, fearing it might collide with Nina, instinctively moved to push her to the side, walking along the outer edge of the road.This scene unfolded directly in front of Nash, who observed it through the rearview mirror."Mr. York, Nina is also here, accompanied by a man," Quincy noticed through the rearview mirror and felt compelled to alert Nash.Nash's frosty gaze locked onto Quincy.Initially, Quincy hadn't fully grasped the situation, but Nash's demeanor made it clear that this was not a favorable development.He mentally berated himself for his oversight.Men's possessiveness and selfishness often couldn't tolerate the
Nash didn't view it that way. Several chance encounters couldn't simply be dismissed as coincidences; there was more to it than meets the eye.Nina's seemingly genuine joy each time they crossed paths only made it even harder to explain."Oh, Mr. York is here too!" Wallace, oblivious to any underlying tension, greeted Nash warmly. "Since everyone's here, let's head to the restaurant. I'll treat you all to a feast."Nash nodded at Wallace but kept his words to a minimum.After several interactions, Wallace had gleaned some insight into Nash's demeanor – reserved, decisive, not one for small talk – so he didn't press further.Scott, gesturing towards the car, said, "Please, Mr. York."With a stern expression, Nash got into the car without uttering a word. He didn't acknowledge Nina, curious to see if she would react on her own.Quincy was tactful. He glanced at Nina and offered them a way out, "Nina, why don't you sit next to Mr. York?"Aware of Nash's discontent, Quincy didn't w
If his son were in the same situation, Caleb figured he would probably do what his father was doing now. Forget it. “Fine,” he said at last. “You can stall my father for now. But let me be clear—whatever money you take from him, you’ll have to pay back later.” He had no intention of having a child with Vera. Vera readily agreed. “Alright. As long as I can clear my family’s debt, I’ll do whatever you ask.” “First, put your clothes back on.” 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 wasn’t 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 hadn’t heard any movement, and since he didn’t want to turn around prematurely, he was caught off guard when Vera spoke. “I’m dressed.” 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. “Vera, I finally understand why no one is willing to help the Mason family. There’s not a single decent person among you!” Vera had anticipated Caleb’s anger, but she never thought he would lash out like this, dragging her entire family into it. Say what he wanted about her—but how could he insult her family? Frustration flared in her eyes. “I know what I’m doing is wrong. But I have no other choice. Caleb, you don’t have to take your anger out on my family.” “If your family was so ‘good,’ then why did they leave you with mountains of debt? Why is your brother missing?” Caleb snapped, his voice sharp. He hadn’t wanted to throw those words at her, b
Caleb’s 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 didn’t feel good. “Caleb, I’ve never trampled on your feelings,” Luna said, her voice hoarse and her gaze tinged with sorrow. “I never once accepted your proposals. If I were you, I wouldn’t have proposed a second time. I would’ve kept my distance. I’ve always seen you as a friend, but look at the things you’ve done and the words you’ve said. I’m not obligated to say yes to you, yet you bring someone else into this just to put on some sort of show?” Her voice cracked, and the pain in her eyes was unmistakable. Caleb’s smirk deepened, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “You’re right. You’re not obligated to accept me. But have you ever thought about this? When you call for me, I’m not obligated to come running, either. And as for your accusation—I’m not ‘putting on a show’ with anyone. The girl who came here with me
Caleb stayed by the operating room until Luna’s 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, “Am I… dead?” The sharp smell of disinfectant made her dizzy, and the unfamiliar surroundings only heightened her anxiety. “This is the hospital,” Caleb said softly. “You had appendicitis, and surgery was necessary.” Hearing Caleb’s voice, Luna finally relaxed. She wasn’t 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. “Don’t bother looking,” he said coolly. “It’s just me here. I arranged for a VIP room for your recovery.” Only then did Luna let out a long breath of relief. She
“My father’s interest is just a passing phase,” Caleb said calmly. “Once he realizes there’s no outcome, he’ll naturally let it go. I’ve been in love with someone who didn’t love me back—it was exhausting. So why would I willingly enter a marriage with someone I don’t even have feelings for?”Caleb didn’t want a marriage without love, and he certainly didn’t want the worst-case scenario—a child born into such a situation. Even though Vera had suggested signing an agreement where the child would stay with him, Caleb couldn’t bring himself to agree. How could a child grow up happy without a mother’s love? And what would he do when the child inevitably started asking for their mom? He couldn’t bear the thought of the child calling someone else “mom.” And if he stayed with Vera just for the child, wouldn’t that create a miserable, loveless relationship for both of them? It was better to draw a clear line from the beginning. Vera hadn’t expected Caleb to be so straightforward a
Caleb’s words left Vera increasingly confused. He had taken her along to see Luna, and now that Luna had been brought to the hospital, there wasn’t much else for her to do. What could Caleb possibly want from her now? If he wanted to continue their "act," he would’ve stopped her earlier, not waited until now to come looking for her. But Caleb remained silent, and Vera didn’t 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. “You don’t have money, and your father is in a standard hospital room. If you don’t rest properly, how will you have the energy to take care of him? Here.” He pulled out a key and handed it to Vera. “This is the key to my dorm at the hospital. I don’t use it often. You can rest and freshen up there.” Vera stared at Caleb in disbelief. Caleb had made it clear he didn’t 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. “This is appendicitis,” Caleb said firmly. “We need to get you to the hospital right away.” He didn’t even use the supplies in the first aid kit. However, Luna noticed Vera standing there and was visibly startled. She hadn’t expected Caleb to bring someone else—especially Vera—along. When Caleb bent down to lift Luna, she resisted, trying to push him away. “Caleb, what are you doing? What’s the point of all this? Why are you acting like this?” Caleb’s focus was entirely on Luna’s 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. “Caleb, look at me. I’m not as bad as you think. Whether it’s real or fake, I can do it.” Without responding to her plea, Caleb coldly threw out a single sentence, “You can sleep in the car tonight.” 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, Luna’s voice was laced with pain. “Caleb, can you come over? My stomach hurts… really badly…” Her words were like a hook, sinking deep into Caleb’s heart. He loved Luna and couldn’t bear to see her in pain or distress. Yet, he forced himself to remain clear-headed. “Isn’t Simon with you? Call him,” 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. “Since you asked me to drive, I figured I’d drop you off at your place first.” “Is that so?” Caleb scoffed, a mocking smile playing on his lips. “And after you drop me off, how are you planning to get back?” 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 off—nothing more. But Caleb didn’t believe her. He grabbed her shoulder with one hand, his grip firm. “I’m asking you a question. Why aren’t you answering?” Vera knew avoiding the question wouldn’t work with him. He wasn’t the type to let things slide. “If I didn’t drop you off, h