Nathan spoke with confidence, "She can't survive without me. Just wait, it won't even take a week before she realizes how much she needs me and contacts me herself."
The housekeeper shook her head and sighed. "You're taking advantage of her love for you, Young Master. But not everyone will wait for you to come around."
Nathan slumped onto the couch, feeling weary. "This is the last time."
---
**In a Foreign Land**
After stepping off the plane, Isabella didn’t leave the airport. Instead, she bought tickets for another city. She wandered through several locations before finally arriving in Milan, Italy.
Standing on the unfamiliar streets, surrounded by strangers with pale skin and curly hair, a deep sense of loneliness enveloped her.
With no money to her name, Isabella found a nearby restaurant where she washed dishes and did odd jobs for meager pay. For lodging, she spent nights sleeping on airport benches until her wages were paid.
Recovering from surgery and a miscarriage, she overworked herself, often to the point of exhaustion. Her wounds became repeatedly infected, and she nearly fainted several times while working. Concerned for her health, the restaurant owner eventually dismissed her under a polite pretense.
Jobless and penniless, Isabella spent her remaining wages in her search for a new job. To make matters worse, the place where she had been sleeping was taken over by a group of delinquents.
When she tried to retrieve her belongings, their predatory gazes made her flee in fear, abandoning her luggage.
Sitting on the roadside, she broke down in tears. But after crying, she wiped her tears and smiled bitterly.
Before Nathan found her four years ago, wasn’t she just a penniless beggar with nothing?
Determined to survive, Isabella started scavenging for food in trash bins, much like the other homeless people.
By chance, she found a valuable wallet in the garbage. A thief had stolen cash from a wealthy woman and discarded the wallet, which contained important documents.
Recognizing the wallet’s luxurious material, Isabella realized it must hold great sentimental value for its owner. Out of a kind heart, she returned it to the address listed on the ID inside.
The owner was initially suspicious of Isabella.
Isabella shrugged and calmly said, "I didn’t steal it, I swear. I was just too hungry and found it while scavenging for food."
After a pause, she added, "I recognized the material—it’s from Master Jasmine’s first generation of luxury bags, one of only nine worldwide. I figured it must mean a lot to you, so I brought it back."
The woman was astonished. "Now I believe you must be a princess lost among commoners."
Isabella laughed bitterly. "You’re mistaken. I’m just a poor girl born in the slums."
As she turned to leave, the woman grabbed her hand. "Miss, no matter what, you’ve returned my late husband’s gift to me, and I must repay you. What do you need? Just tell me."
Isabella replied, "There’s no need."
The woman frowned, puzzled. "But you clearly look like someone in need of help."
Isabella admitted, "I need money, a lot of it. But more than that, I need love… and you can’t provide that for me."
The woman hesitated before offering, "I can at least give you a job. Would you like to work as a seamstress?"
A flicker of hope lit up Isabella’s eyes. "What did you say?"
"I can recommend you to a factory as a seamstress."
Without hesitation, Isabella embraced her. "Thank you. I’d love that job."
In the past, Isabella had spent her days as a dutiful wife, ironing clothes for everyone in the Hill family. She couldn’t bear to see any flaws in the expensive garments and would painstakingly repair them herself.
Over time, she had honed her skills and developed a deep interest in the fashion industry.
Her new employer, a kind elderly woman, didn’t judge her tattered appearance. Instead, she gave Isabella special care, providing her with a small room to rest in and flexible working hours.
Grateful for her kindness, Isabella worked tirelessly to express her gratitude. The employer grew increasingly fond of the resilient girl and began to inquire about her background.
"Bella, why did you come to Milan? You have no one here, you don’t speak the language, and life must be so hard."
Looking up, Isabella’s gaze seemed to pierce through the fabric of time. She answered with a melancholic resolve, "I came here to wait—for someone, for salvation, and for a chance to be reborn."
No matter how bitter or exhausting it was, she couldn’t give up.
Her employer encouraged her, "Isabella, you’re so talented with your hands and seem to have a natural gift for fashion design. Have you considered going back to school? With a degree in fashion design, you’d have a brilliant future."
Isabella pondered deeply. The difference between her and Victoria had always been glaring: while Victoria wasn’t as beautiful as her, she had a prestigious education that earned her respect.
In contrast, Isabella’s lack of a formal degree had rendered her insignificant in their eyes—a mere accessory, undeserving of respect or recognition. Her love and devotion had been trampled on without a second thought.
Determined to change, Isabella immediately asked her employer about the process of enrolling in school.
If she had severed ties with Nathan and Victoria, she resolved to live for herself this time.
This time, she would shine on a grand stage and command the respect of everyone around her.
Isabella threw herself into her studies, diligently preparing to apply to Milan’s top fashion academy in the coming year.
---
**One Month Later, in the Capital**
Nathan had been busy over the past month, tirelessly paving the way for Victoria’s career. He propelled her into the spotlight of the fashion world, crowning her as the queen of style.
His efforts were an attempt to console her heartbroken soul, ensuring she found joy in professional success even if her love life had suffered.
Victoria’s health and spirits improved rapidly under Nathan’s attentive care.
On the grand opening day of Victoria’s company, Nathan invited numerous influential friends to celebrate her achievement. His devotion and care for Victoria were evident, rivaling that of a devoted husband.
This display of affection ignited envy in Isabella’s friend, Madison, who couldn’t resist mentioning the one person absent from the festivities.
"Victoria, on such an important day, why isn’t Isabella here to celebrate with you?"
The lively room fell silent.
When someone unexpectedly mentioned Isabella, Nathan suddenly realized that it had been days since Isabella last contacted him. Not a single text or voice message. Finally, he sensed something was off. After all, that girl had always been clingy. Even if they saw each other daily, whenever she couldn’t see him, she’d find all sorts of excuses to reach out—sharing her meals, reminding him to dress warmly, or asking him to come home early because she had a surprise for him. Back then, he found her relentless attention annoying. This kind of silence from Isabella was unusual. It seemed that forcing her to go abroad this time had genuinely angered her. Even if she didn’t contact him, surely she would ask someone for her living expenses. Turning to his assistant, Nathan asked, "How’s my wife doing lately? Has she mentioned needing anything? Make sure her requests are met." The assistant’s expression turned awkward. Stammering, he replied, "Mr. Hill, Madam... has been out of to
The youthful face before her overlapped perfectly with the sharp, commanding visage of the man who stood at the apex of power, ruthless and fearsome.The young boy lay sprawled on the bridge, bloodied, his piercingly beautiful yet rebellious eyes darting around as if searching for a lifeline—like an abandoned wolf pup desperate for survival.Tears welled up in Isabella's eyes as she knelt down before him. "Do you want to come with me?" she asked softly.Despite his tattered, dirty clothes, the boy exuded an air of elegance and nobility. Turning his head arrogantly, he asked, "What's your name?"Isabella hesitated briefly. "Thea," she said, concealing her true identity."My name is Theodore," he introduced himself.Isabella smiled faintly. "Well, isn't that a coincidence? Both of our names have a ‘Th’.""That must mean we're fated to meet," Theodore replied with a mischievous smile."In that case, why don't you consider me your elder Sis? What do you think?" Isabella's warm smile moment
Nathan's expression gradually softened as he assisted Victoria into the doctor’s office. After reviewing Victoria’s medical report, the doctor did not say much at first, but his serious demeanor shifted as he turned to Nathan.“Where is Mrs. Hill’s medical report?” the doctor inquired solemnly.Nathan Hill, who had just calmed down, felt his mood darken once again. Victoria quickly answered for him. “Oh, my Sis is abroad.”The doctor frowned. “Even though Mrs. Hill is the donor, her health cannot be neglected. Furthermore,” he continued, revealing a hidden concern, “the day she was discharged, I found her bed sheets and bedding stained with blood during my rounds. Several days post-surgery, there shouldn’t have been such heavy bleeding. This suggests a complication.”“Mr. Hill, could it be that Mrs. Hill has other health issues? You should urge her to return for a check-up to rule out potential hidden conditions. Truthfully, she was too weak to be discharged in the first place,” the do
The untamed wolf that had yet to grow into its fangs was now an irresistible, doe-eyed pup. Since he offered himself up willingly, Isabella wondered if she should make the most of him. But then, she thought of the dark emperor reigning at the pinnacle of the pyramid—a peerless figure of earthly beauty, unattainable as the lofty flower perched on the highest peak. Isabella ultimately backed down. She couldn’t afford to take that risk. “No need,” she said lightly. “For now, I’ll stick to what I know best—women’s fashion.” Theodore’s face revealed a trace of hurt. “Fine, but when you start designing menswear, promise you’ll use me as your model.” Isabella humored him with a half-hearted response. “Sure.” Throwing herself into a grueling work routine, Isabella sketched several designs for women’s clothing on scrap paper. She painstakingly selected her favorite design, cut the fabric, and sewed it into a finished garment: a grass-green high-waisted skirt paired with a chic sho
As Isabella's health gradually recovered, the new school semester began. Perhaps sorrow had turned into joy, for her once misfortunate life seemed to take a turn for the better—her career was finally blossoming.Isabella’s designs quickly gained popularity among her classmates. Many placed orders for her affordable and stylish clothing. Word of mouth spread fast, and soon her customer base expanded from low-end to mid-tier clients. Her wallet grew thicker, and so did her confidence in earning her own livelihood.Theodore, lounging on the bed playing a game, casually reminded her, “People only have so much energy. Even if you’re a steel-strong Iron Lady, your daily output has its limits. That means your income will eventually plateau.”Isabella, realizing she was overwhelmed with orders, leaned in front of Theodore and humbly sought his advice. “What do you think I should do to break through?”Pausing his game, Theodore replied, “You have two options. The first is to shift to a high-end
Nathan couldn’t shake an inexplicable sense of irritation as he scrolled absentmindedly through his chat history with Isabella. Back then, she would reach out almost daily to greet him with good morning and good night messages. She eagerly shared the scenery she saw, the food she tasted—practically every tiny detail of her life. To him, it had felt annoyingly clingy. But ever since he had sent her abroad, it was as if she had vanished into thin air. She had not sent him a single message since then. How had he not noticed such a stark change in her behavior until now? The depth of his neglect towards Isabella was glaringly evident. He opened their chat and typed: “Bella, what are you doing? You haven’t reached out in ages. Are you mad at your husband?” After hesitating for a moment, he hit send. Moments later, a large red exclamation mark appeared in the chat window. Nathan froze. Had Isabella’s account been hacked? He quickly found her international number and dia
One of Nathan’s friends patted him on the shoulder and teased, “Nathan, you’d better bring Isabella back soon. If one day she returns pregnant and asks for a divorce, you’ll have no choice but to cry.” “Also, if the famous Nathan gets dumped by Isabella, it’d be a real blow to your reputation.” Grinding his teeth, Nathan muttered, “She wouldn’t dare...” Ultimately, perhaps pressured by the impending company gala, Nathan chose to compromise. “Noah, book me a flight to the U.S. And buy some gifts for my wife,” he instructed. His assistant's expression was hard to read. “Yes, sir.” ---The next day. Nathan boarded a flight to the U.S., carrying a ragdoll cat as a gift his assistant had purchased. He had finally decided to personally bring Isabella back home. He thought to himself, *This trip will make up for the months I’ve ignored her. When I arrive, I’ll coax her a little, and she’ll happily follow me back.* ---Nathan went to the Smiths’ house. Six months ago, he ha
Nathan returned to the capital alone. When Nathan's father learned that Nathan had not brought Isabella back, he erupted in rage. He berated Nathan furiously: "I opposed your marriage to Isabella back then, but you insisted on marrying her to save your 'pure-hearted love.' Since you married her, you should live a good life together and work as a team. Though Isabella's family background isn't great, she is obedient and filial. We accepted her. Yet, you still entangled yourself with her Sis... You've broken Isabella's heart; that's why she refuses to come back!" The more Nathan's father spoke, the angrier he became: "If Isabella won’t return, then you have no reason to attend the Hill family's annual gathering. It would only invite ridicule." Nathan's mother paled with fright. "Honey, Nathan will definitely bring Isabella back. Please give him some time." Nathan was the Hill family’s only son, but that status depended on his ability to sustain the family's enterprise.
Samuel howled, "But I didn't want to accept it."It was late.Drake came in holding a roster. He opened the roster, which had photos of the blind date participants - some with makeup, some without, as well as candid shots and work photos. It also contained the archival records of the individuals from birth until now."Please take a look."Kassidy eagerly took the boys' roster, while Samuel held the girls' roster and they both started flipping through them."Wow. They're all so good." Kassidy exclaimed enthusiastically, "So handsome and talented... I like every one of them. Except for this rich young man... What a nickname, 'Foodie'? This photo must have been photoshopped, definitely a chubby person..."She threw the roster to Drake, "Everyone except him."Drake smirked.Samuel pouted and said, "This chest is too small.""This hair color was too yellow." "This leg was a bit thick.""This waist would be perfect if i
Eric returned home and only then did he realize that his mother, Hana, had already been discharged from the hospital. Ingrid's attitude towards him had become much colder. In fact, she even showed a hint of disgust towards him."Eric, where have you been hiding these days when mom had a car accident and was hospitalized?"Eric, with the postoperative sequelae, was very weak and feeble, saying, "I had a little accident..."Hana finally noticed something unusual about her son, “What's wrong with you?"Eric lifted up the hem of his shirt, revealing the surgical scar on his lower back. "I had my kidney taken away by someone."Hana's pupils dilated, filled with fear. "How could this happen?"Eric closed his eyes in pain and said, "This matter is hard to put into words."Ingrid, who was skilled in calculations, immediately realized that the value of Eric's utilization had been discounted."You were not feeling well now, so will you b
Eric said, "Kassidy, please stop talking. I believe this wasn't done by you. Your character is just like your mother's, both of you are honest and kind people, who would never stoop to such despicable means."He lowered his head in shame and said, "I am getting what I deserved."Kassidy stared at Eric expressionlessly. It was strange, as once she had faced Nathan's myriad of turbulent and grand emotions, but now she was calm like dead ashes.In the end, she simply said, "I didn't mean to not save you. I truly didn't realize how difficult your situation was."With boundless hatred towards that man, Emma pleaded with Kassidy, "So now, could you please help us seek justice?" Despite the pleading tone, her voice was firm, tinged with a hint of reluctant inexperience.Kassidy stared at her coldly and said, "Why should I help you?"Emma was stunned, and then her little face turned bright red.Yeah, why did Kassidy save her?She shoul
Emma trembled as she asked, "Which place do you want?"The man's gaze fell on Eric's waist, “Kidney."Eric couldn't help but feel a chill run through his entire body, as if every nerve was connected to his heart. A sense of unbearable despair washed over him from his heart."I disagreed," Eric roared.The man looked at him with an increasingly cold gaze, “My son was sick. He was the same age as you all, but he developed kidney failure at such a young age. The doctor said he must have surgery as soon as possible, otherwise he won't survive this year. I won't let him die, so I must find a suitable kidney source for him... As long as he can live, I don't care about breaking the law..."Eric shouted impatiently, "You idiot, not everyone's kidney is suitable for him. If we give him our kidney, it could cause rejection, and your son would die even faster."Snap-The man slapped Eric in the face and menacingly said, "How dare you curse my so
The man's face darkened, and his eyes, filled with a predatory gaze, stared at Eric. "You wouldn't be deceiving me, would you? Eric, do you realize the consequences of deceiving me?"Eric was speechless, he was dumbfounded by the man's lack of intelligence. "My phone is in your hands, I didn't have time to tamper with it. Kassidy's phone number has always been stored in my phone. If you can't reach her, it's probably because her phone is currently with her."The man thought for a moment and felt that what he said made some sense. Then he took a deep breath and said, "Then I'll give you another fifteen minutes. If Kassidy doesn't call to confirm that you have some relationship with her, then I won't be polite to you."Time passed by minute by minute.Eric's heart grew more and more anxious. He didn't know if Kassidy would call back in such a short amount of time.As the moment of the clock was about to end, Eric's phone rang. Eric let out a sigh of
Eric looked at the screen, but Samuel's words kept echoing in his ears. Suddenly, he fell to his knees, covering his face with both hands, tears and rainwater streaming through his fingers.Yes, Isabella has always been well. She was strong and optimistic, born in adversity but with a heart to overcome obstacles. She was loyal to love and loyal to her family, so she could receive selfless love from her family.Isabella, who was so good, was looked down upon by him in his past life. Now, as he finds himself trapped in a quagmire and realizes the hardships Isabella went through, he discovers that he cannot be as good as her at all. Eric is overwhelmed with shame.He deeply realized that he was not worthy of Isabella.However, Eric soon emerged from the melancholy of lost love. He had to save Emma, and the longer he delayed, the greater the danger she faced.He got up and ran hard.This time, he couldn't help but run for a long ti
Thea suddenly touched her face and said, "Your mother was young and still had her charm. If she had married a middle-aged man who was a good match for her, they could have built a marriage together. Maybe they could have lived a comfortable and peaceful life. But your mother insisted on flattering William and indulging in unrealistic dreams. In the end, she lost both her dignity and her wealth.""Ingrid, remember my words well: Be down-to-earth and work hard in life. Don't try to take shortcuts, as those who seek to gain without effort will not have a good outcome.""By the way, also tell Eric these words."Thea finished speaking and left gracefully.Little did she know, Eric, hiding in the stairwell, understood her words perfectly. He was now caught in a dilemma: a grounded life?Can he still reach the height of his past life?After Hana was discharged from the hospital, faced with a large amount of compensation money, she had no choice but
Hana was so angry that she trembled all over, "I never expected you rich people to be so unreasonable and heartless."Olivia laughed in anger, "I never expected you poor people to stoop so low in your desperate attempts to climb the social ladder. Even resorting to using your own uterus. Oh, not all poor people are as spineless as you, my sister Thea has a lot of pride."Hana took a desperate measure, treating the dead horse as if it were alive, and said, "If William is not willing to take responsibility, then I will accuse him of negligence.""Oh, so you finally reveal your true colors, huh? If you have the guts, go ahead and sue. Do you have any evidence? If you do, bring it out immediately, and we will register this child's household registration right away. If you don't have any evidence, it's not you suing him, but us suing you for damaging William's reputation."Hana couldn't argue with Olivia and left in a huff.Olivia continued to playfully
Hana panicked, "William, I was just momentarily anxious and spoke without thinking. Please don't be angry, I won't say these nonsense words again in the future."William was exhausted and said, "Let it go."The other side.Hana heard the busy tone coming from her phone, and her face froze. She looked helplessly at the pair of children next to her and said with great disappointment, "He wants me to hit this child? Just because I said bad things about her daughter being selfish and self-centered?"Eric frowned, deeply experiencing the despair of having a teammate who was a liability. He weakly retorted, "How many times have I told you that William is obsessed with spoiling girls? If you're with her, the stepmother will have to treat you better than your own mother. But you foolishly want to compete for favor with Jade."Hana held her son's hand, tears welling up in her eyes. "Son, can you help me? How can I change his mind? I don't want to terminate