The little boy still had shaggy hair. If the war had not torn his world apart and separated him from his parents, he would be a happy child now. Nina gently patted his head and spoke softly, "Can you tell me your name? You didn’t want to stay at the embassy because of your parents?""I’ve never seen my parents." The boy lowered his head, his voice raspy and filled with sadness.Nina, who had spent five years in Salterra, observing the transition from minor conflicts to major upheavals, understood. If the boy had never seen his parents, it meant they had never been around from the beginning. What a pitiful child!"So, do you not have a name?" Nina pursed her lips, poured him a cup of water, and continued to crouch in front of him, trying to communicate.The boy neither took the water nor spoke further. He looked like a child who felt deeply wronged and did not know what to do.Nina’s heart tightened. Another child with deep psychological scars. But living in a war zone, how could
Orion nodded. He took the sweet potatoes and ate slowly, without gobbling them down. Nina poured him another glass of water."If it's not enough, I'll get you more," she said.Orion shook his head. Nina noticed that he preferred not to speak unless absolutely necessary. She did not want to stare at him while he ate, so she busied herself with tidying up the tent. Suddenly, a trumpet sounded. It was the call to assemble. Something was happening in the military.What she did not expect was to see Orion put down his sweet potato, stand up straight, and salute. It was a perfect military posture and a crisp salute. Nina was completely taken aback. He was only five years old. How could he perform these actions so expertly? Could he be the child of a soldier?Realizing the significance, Nina decided to contact the embassy. If he was the child of a fallen soldier, he should not be left alone in a foreign land."Orion, you're not a soldier, but you know these things. Who taught you
She often helped the poor and injured, bringing them extra food and supplies. The cooks knew about her efforts. Orion's small hand gripped hers tightly, so tightly that Nina could feel his palm sweating. "Look, do you like these two outfits?" Nina asked, using her free hand to hold up the clothes. Because of the constant upheaval, white clothes were impractical. She had bought one set of camouflage clothes and another in sky blue. Since it was too far to carry many things, she planned to leave more supplies for Orion once she got him to the embassy and after they identified him.Orion did not even glance at the clothes. His eyes were red and filled with fear. Nina could not help but pull him into a comforting hug. "Don't be afraid. These are our Birkhamese soldiers. They won't treat you like soldiers from other countries. I promise you that. Now, try on your new clothes."She helped him dress, and although Orion did not speak, he cooperated quietly. Nina lifted him onto the
"Miss Nina."The call immediately snapped Nina out of her thoughts. She looked up instinctively to see a soldier standing at the door."You're looking for me?" she asked."Yes, the Yaren tribe sent over a large shipment of supplies, and they specifically requested that you sign for it.""Alright."For the past five years, no matter where she was, the Yaren tribe had consistently arranged for large shipments of supplies to be sent her way. It was always someone else delivering them. Micah and the Pharaoh never appeared. But every month, a large sum of money would be deposited into her account. The supplies helped the impoverished locals and improved the soldiers' meals, so Nina had no reason to refuse. Plus, she did not have to see Micah or the Pharaoh.She patted Orion on the head. "I have to go out for a bit. Be good and don't run off."Orion nodded.Seeing how Orion preferred to remain silent, Nina's heart felt heavy. If the embassy could not arrange for someone to help, sh
"You've been a war journalist for years now, so you should know that Seth isn't dead. Seth is ambitious and has been used as a pawn. I need your help with something," Micah said, taking a deep breath to steady his emotions before speaking slowly to Nina.Nina was silent for a few seconds. "What kind of help?" she asked. If Micah had come to her, it was likely something she could help with. Otherwise, he would not have asked."When Miranda assumed your identity, Seth almost gained control of the Yaren tribe. If you come back to the Yaren tribe with me, Seth will definitely make a move," Micah explained, his gaze fixed on Nina.Nina remained calm and emotionless, but she did not respond immediately. Just as Micah thought she would not agree, she quietly said, "Alright, I'll go back with you."Years ago, when she and Nash were in the Yaren tribe, and she was captured by Miranda, it was Micah who had protected her from the shadows. Since he had come to her for help, she felt obliged to
The military doctor first administered emergency treatment to Orion and then examined him thoroughly. Finally, the diagnosis came. "He has asthma. He needs to have medication with him at all times."Asthma…Hearing this word made Nina's scalp tingle. She knew about this illness. It could be congenital, hereditary, or acquired. It required constant medication, or an attack could be fatal.Nina shuddered to think what might have happened if Orion had not encountered her, if he had not been at the military camp. Would he have died from an asthma attack with no one to help or even notice?Throughout all this, Orion clung tightly to her hand.She remembered that day when Orion had clearly and painfully expressed that he did not want to go to the embassy, that he wanted to stay with her. Perhaps he saw her as the only person who cared about him."Ah... Ah..."A violent coughing fit interrupted Nina's thoughts. She looked over and saw that Orion had woken up. His eyes were filled wit
All signs indicated that this was an accident, not a premeditated act.Nina replied, "I understand. Let's leave today."She did not have much to pack, just a small backpack for Orion's two sets of clothes. However, she made it clear to Micah, "I still have some unfinished business. I'll go with you to the Yaren tribe, but I can only stay for three days at most."Three days did not include today's travel time. It was indeed a short period. But the fact that Nina agreed to go to the Yaren tribe was already a significant step....Orion silently followed Nina, not making any noise or fuss. Micah noticed. From the side, the child bore a slight resemblance to Nina. However, he knew all too well that Nina and Nash's child had died five years ago. Even if the child had not died, there was no way Nina would not have found a trace after searching for five years. Moreover, there had been no news about Nash either. The child's resemblance was merely a coincidence."Bang!" A loud explo
Nina did not say anything, but she gave Micah a knowing smile. Despite resuming their journey, this small incident left Micah and Mr. Joker wary, with Nina also keeping it in mind. They did not realize that a team was covertly following them to ensure their safe return to the Yaren tribe.Upon learning of Nina's return, the Pharaoh had meticulously prepared an enormous, luxurious room for her. The moment Nina stepped inside, she promptly exited."Give me a simpler room," she demanded.She had not seen the Pharaoh, but she knew this was his doing. This was his attempt at making amends, but their history could not be mended with a few gestures. As she entered the tribe, memories of narrowly escaping death, being treated as an experiment, and the tribe’s cruel methods flooded back. She could not forget Nash being poisoned and his eventual death.She knew her biological father, the Pharaoh, and Nash were always at odds. For the past five years, she had been secretly investigating
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