She was doing him a favor, he should be happy about it. Or perhaps it was his pride at play, feeling embarrassed that she had brought it up, causing him to lose face. Nash's gaze shifted away from her, and he said coldly, "It's time to work." Nina checked the time; it was exactly nine o'clock, the start of the workday. She couldn't help but chuckle; he was really punctual, not allowing her a single idle moment.Watching Nash's retreating figure that was emanating an icy aura, she felt the distance between them, like that of a superior and subordinate. She didn't dwell on it and stepped out. Quincy was waiting for her outside the door. "Nina, these are the documents Mr. York wants you to handle." A mountain of documents was thrust into her hands. Dust flew into her face, making her cough. Nina asked, "These documents are covered in dust. How old are they?" Quincy didn't dare to say, "I'm not sure. Mr. York arranged it." People from the company looked at Nina with sympathetic eyes
Caleb Smith didn't quite understand. Did Nash fall ill? He had a medical examination not long ago, and his health seemed normal. But if there were any issues, it could only be...As Caleb entered the office, his gaze immediately fixed on Nash's trousers. Sensing his strange expression, Nash frowned, "I asked you to check on Nina's health. Why are you staring at me?"Caleb quickly averted his gaze, awkwardly smiling. "Nothing, I just met her at the elevator, and she seemed quite upset.""She'll come back," Nash remarked."Did you two have a quarrel?""It's normal for women to get upset."Caleb hesitated to speak further and chose to sit on the nearby sofa instead.Seeing Caleb's reluctance to leave, Nash said, "Since she's gone, you can leave too. I don't need you here.""I've just arrived. Can't we catch up as friends?"Caleb, after some consideration, chuckled, "Nina has her reasons for being upset. It's normal for couples to have some problems. Once those are resolved, the r
Nina glanced back and replied, "Packing my bags.""Where are you going?""Home," Nina said."Isn't this your home?" Nash's tone grew noticeably colder.Nina's heart stung at his words, but she looked up at him and said, "Do you really think this place belongs to me? I'm just making room for you all."Suddenly, Nash grabbed her hand, halting her packing. His voice turned cold as he said, "How much longer are you going to keep this up?"Nina dared not look up, fearing she might appear vulnerable and start crying. It was the first time she had pushed him away so forcefully. "I'm not causing a scene, I'm serious. Nash, please let go. I need to pack."Her persistence in wanting a divorce weighed heavily on Nash's face. With a loud "bang," the door closed.Hearing the noise, Nina looked up, only to hear Nash's low voice asking, "What's the reason behind your desire to leave?"Nina remained silent.Nash leaned in closer, his tone accusatory, "Do you think I'm not capable? Do you nee
His body was warm, carrying a strong scent of alcohol, his hot breath lingering by her ear. He's been drinking?"Nash," Nina called out. But Nash wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his head in her hair, and said in a low voice, "Don't move, let me hold you for a while." Now Nina didn't move. She didn't quite understand why he drank so much.Under the covers, Nina lay for a long time, her body almost stiff, wondering when he would get up. But he showed no intention of getting up, just lingering on her, greedy. He wouldn't mistake her for Miranda again, would he?Nina called out again, "Nash..." "I just want to lie like this for a while, Nina." Hearing this, Nina fell silent again. The fact that he called her name meant he didn't see her as another woman. She rarely saw him in this state, feeling a bit at a loss.But her heart softened, fearing he would fall asleep like this, fearing he would catch a cold. She nudged him, "Don't sleep like this. Either take a bath or cove
The woman was the editor-in-chief of a certain magazine: "I've only heard about your boyfriend, but never seen him. It's quite intriguing."Miranda casually adjusted her hair and said tactfully, "I don't like him appearing in public, so I never let him accompany me to events. But when we get married one day, I'll be sure to invite you.""Keeping it mysterious, huh? Well, then I'll look forward to it."The editor-in-chief turned to see Nina nearby, nodding politely to her. "Nina, nice to see you again."Nina also recognized her; they had met before when she wanted to interview Nash. It was through this connection that she succeeded to interview him.She responded lightly, "Hi, Cally.""Do you two know each other?" Cally looked at both of them.Miranda said, "We do, but we're not particularly close."She deliberately distanced herself from Nina.Nina followed her lead, saying, "When Miranda returned to the country, the headlines about her fiancé were so big that Cally got curiou
Miranda's face immediately flushed, she released her hands covering her face, tears streaming down again, presenting a pitiful and adorable appearance. She indeed belonged in front of the screen, playing the victim role convincingly. Had it not been for her fierce demeanor just now, Nina might have believed her pitiful act."Show some respect!" Nina's tone carried a hint of seriousness.Miranda cried with tear-streaked cheeks, speaking softly, "Nina, I also have dignity. How could you treat me like this? I didn't snatch your man, please don't misunderstand me..." "Nina!" Nash's voice came from nearby. Nina was shocked, how could he be here?Then she realized, this might be a play directed by Miranda. Looking over, Nash had a stern face, his eyes sharp, as if she had committed some grave mistake. Nash strode over and forcefully pulled the weak and helpless Miranda from Nina's side into his arms. The force was strong, Nina staggered back a few steps from the inertia."Nash," Mi
Miranda fell silent for a moment. Nina was still at the event when she received a call from Nash, which was quite unexpected. She thought he might be planning a romantic rendezvous with Miranda and simply didn't have the time to bother with her.Nina composed herself as if nothing had happened: "Over at the art exhibition." Nash said, "After it's over, come back to the office with me." This meant he wasn't planning to give her a break but rather expected her to go back to work. Nina had no choice but to agree. After hanging up the phone, Nash turned back and noticed Miranda was still beside him. "What did you just say?" Miranda had hoped for an opportunity to be alone with him, but hearing their conversation, she realized there might not be a chance. She withdrew her hand. "I'll go rest now, see you tomorrow.""Alright," Nash replied. Miranda was still not satisfied. "Do you have time tomorrow evening?" "We'll see." "If you're free tomorrow evening, I'd like to invite y
The man stood with his hands in his pockets, his gentle gaze fixed on Nina for a while before he said, "I’m Scott Lucas. Nina, we were in the same class in elementary and middle school."Nina's mind wandered for a while. In her memory, Scott was completely different. He used to be a chubby kid, always sitting quietly at the back of the class every semester, hardly noticed by anyone. She didn't have much interaction with him. With her consistently excellent academic performance, she served as the class monitor, and at most only exchanged a few words with him during homework assignments.She never expected such a transformation; he had become so good-looking. "Scott?" Nina's lips curled slightly. "You've changed so much. I almost didn't recognize you.""Yeah, I've changed a lot. It's normal that you didn't recognize me," Scott's deep eyes stared at her. "Many classmates don't recognize me anymore, but I recognize you."Nina was happy to see her old classmate. After starting work, s
“Call me Liam.” Before Yelena could finish speaking, Liam cut her off with a sharp, angry voice. She quickly nodded and corrected herself. “Liam, don’t worry. I’ll do exactly as you say. I’ll be good. I won’t make you angry again.” But Liam didn’t care. With a violent shove, he threw her to the ground. Yelena barely had time to brace herself before hitting the cold floor hard, pain radiating through her limbs. Liam, however, just looked down at her with a twisted grin, laughing like she was nothing more than a ridiculous joke. “You’d better learn fast,” he sneered. “And leave your hand broken for a few days—feel the pain properly.” “Alright.” Her voice was quiet, submissive. But Liam wasn’t listening. Without another glance, he turned and walked away. As she watched his retreating figure, Yelena felt a deep sense of dread rise in her throat. Liam wasn’t human. He was something far worse. Her future with him would be nothing short of hell.
Yelena had made her stance clear—her loyalty was with Hunter. But instead of being convinced, Hunter let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “You sure your loyalty is to me? Or is it just to money?” His words hit like a slap. Yelena stiffened, feeling the sting of humiliation. It was true. When she had been desperate, with nowhere left to turn, she had thrown herself at Hunter, begging him for help. If she had any other choice, if she hadn’t been pushed into a corner, she would have never given up her pride like that. Lowering her gaze, she spoke with measured calmness. “Mr. Hall, you gave me two hundred thousand dollars. You helped me when no one else did. That makes you my benefactor. And loyalty to one’s benefactor… that’s only right.” She didn’t dare meet his eyes, but her voice was firm. Hunter studied her for a moment before scoffing. “Enough with the useless talk.” His voice was cold and dismissive. “Just go back to Liam’s side and do what you’re suppose
Yelena needed to tell Hunter about this. But before she could finish, Hunter’s cold voice cut through her thoughts. She lowered her head. “This is just how I normally dress. I didn’t deliberately choose my outfit to seduce you, Mr. Hunter. Besides, your brother isn’t even interested in me.” She hesitated before adding, “That two hundred thousand…” Hunter narrowed his eyes. “What are you trying to say?” Seeing his growing impatience, Yelena clenched her fists, still looking down. “I mean exactly what I said. Any normal man wouldn’t turn down a woman who willingly throws herself at him. That night, Liam clearly said he would take me somewhere else… but when we got there, he never touched me. Ever since then, he treats me like I don’t even exist—like I’m nothing but air.” Hunter’s expression darkened instantly. “Are you implying something?” The implication in Yelena’s words was clear. She had just suggested that any normal man wouldn’t refuse a willing woman.
Vera, as a bystander, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for Luna. But if she felt that way, how much worse must it be for Caleb—the man who had loved Luna for years? His pain was unimaginable. Yet, despite the hurt clawing at his chest, Caleb remained cold and unmoved. He didn’t let go. He didn’t waver at Luna’s tearful pleas. Instead, his voice was indifferent as he spoke. “Luna, women always say that late affection is the cheapest thing of all. But the same goes for men—I don’t love you the way I used to. You should go back to Simon.” And as if to drive the knife even deeper, he added, “I’m sure Simon still loves you very much.” If Luna had truly wanted Simon’s love, she would have accepted it long ago. She would have stayed by his side instead of chasing after Caleb now. In the end, men and women were the same. When they loved you, they would cherish you like a treasure. When they stopped, you became nothing more than an afterthought.
Caleb had no desire to argue with Luna any further. Instead, he turned to Vera. With just one look, she understood and stepped closer to him. Caleb wrapped an arm around her waist. “Luna,” he said calmly, “being with Vera isn’t as exhausting as being with you. Love should go both ways. I hope you can understand that.” “No!” Luna’s voice cracked. “She’s only with you because you helped her solve her problems. If you weren’t Caleb Smith, if you didn’t have the power to fix things for her, she’d be nothing!” Her dark eyes burned with resentment as she glared at Vera. Vera knew she had become Luna’s enemy—but what could she do? Caleb had already made his stance clear. Was she supposed to deny it? Pretend he didn’t just declare his feelings in front of Luna? With a steady voice, Vera replied, “Yes, I do go along with Caleb. He treats me well, and we’ve chosen to be together. We’re both single adults. What exactly is the problem?” She met Luna’s icy gaze head
Caleb had never seen Luna like this before. But then again, even after realizing her feelings, she still carried herself with the same untouchable arrogance. He turned his head away, refusing to look at her. “Don’t you already have Simon by your side? “Or is he not enough for you?” The moment the words left Caleb’s lips, Luna felt a sharp stab of pain in her chest. Simon had always been the biggest issue between her and Caleb. To her, there was nothing between them now—just an unresolved regret from the past. Yet Caleb had never stopped making it an issue, over and over again. “You keep bringing up Simon because you want me to push him away. But tell me, Caleb, where exactly do you expect me to send him? He’s alone with a daughter to care for.“We’ve known each other for years. It’s not just about Simon. If you were in his position, I would help you too.” Luna’s voice was steady, her words firm—completely oblivious to the mistake in her reasoning. Caleb ha
Luna took a deep breath, clarity washing over her. In that moment, she knew that she had to get Caleb back. She yanked her hand free from Simon’s grasp. “Simon, I need to go find Caleb,” she said firmly. “I’ll be leaving now. You and your daughter can rest here. Stay in this villa for now, and once you have the money, I’ll sell it to you at half price.” With that, she turned and walked away without hesitation. Luna drove as fast as she could to find Caleb. Caleb was a complete workaholic—aside from the hospital, there was nowhere else he would be.But when she arrived, he was nowhere to be found. A nurse informed her that Caleb had taken the day off. Luna knew exactly where his private villa was. Instead of calling him, she went there directly. She knocked on the door, and to her surprise, the person who answered wasn’t Caleb—but Vera. Vera seemed equally taken aback but quickly regained her composure, maintaining polite courtesy. “Miss Gibson, please wait h
Luna had even arranged for Simon to join her company. And he knew one thing for certain—whenever he asked for something, Luna had never refused him. But what he wanted now was more than just her help. He wanted her to completely fall for him. “Luna, I’ve been back for a few days now,” he said, tightening his grip around her hand. “I know I had a past—a marriage. But don’t we all? I’ve never tried to hide it. Even Charlotte adores you. Don’t you think I still have a chance to make things right between us?” Though he was back in her life, Luna had never once brought up the idea of them being together. In fact, she always seemed distracted—clearly lost in thoughts of Caleb. “No,” she replied, her tone calm but firm. “I’m happy you’re back, and helping you is just my way of honoring our past. But I can’t simply become someone’s stepmother.” Even though she adored Charlotte, she wasn’t ready to take on that role. Simon hadn’t expected rejection. After all, hadn’t she
Just before finishing work, Vera received a call from Caleb. “Where are you currently? Come over to my place.” “Alright.” She didn’t hesitate. No matter what, Caleb had helped her. Without him, she knew her fate would have been far, far worse. So, without delay, she headed straight for his home. What she didn’t expect was to find Caleb lounging lazily on the sofa in the living room, looking completely at ease. The moment he saw her, he crooked a finger, motioning her closer. As soon as Vera stepped forward, Caleb grabbed her wrist, pulling her off balance—causing her to fall straight onto his lap. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Caleb, you… you called me here for this…?” Some words were just too difficult to say out loud. Caleb’s fingers pressed lightly against her waist as he smirked. “I realized I quite like your scent. I called, and you came. Isn’t that enough?” With that, he silenced her with a kiss. Sex was an addictive thing. Caleb was