I had just turned the doorknob when he grabbed the collar of my clothes from behind, his voice dark and malicious. "You little bitch! You dare deceive me, huh? Damn it, I'll show you!""No, please..."But no matter how I struggled, that one moment had drained all my strength, and I could only let him drag me towards the bed."Listen, is someone arguing in there?"Suddenly, a refined middle-aged man's voice came from the corridor outside."Oh... Dad, they've booked a room at the hotel, it's normal for young couples to argue. Let's go quickly, I just informed the restaurant to prepare our meal..."The man holding onto me instantly turned menacing, realizing I had unlocked the door.He threw me to the ground and reached to close the door, but someone pushed it open from outside!A pair of gleaming gentleman's shoes appeared in front of my eyes, then the gaze moved slightly upward to a pair of long legs clad in trousers.Thinking it was the middle-aged man who had spoken just now,
"He is Jessica's ex-husband." Ryan understood what I meant and explained softly, "This time, it's time for her to learn her lesson."At his words, I understood.Previously, due to my grandpa's dislike, Jessica had relied on brazenness to attend family banquets at the Frost family's old mansion, so I had never met Jessica's ex-husband.Now, treating her the way she treated others, even if it caused a scene, others would only think they were having a lover's spat.I believed in the principle of not offending others unless provoked, but if she wished me dead, I wouldn't show mercy either.Seeing me lost in thought, Ryan rubbed my head gently. "Are you hurt?"I shook my head. "No."Thinking back to the scene in the room, I still felt a lingering fear, and my hands were trembling slightly.Ryan's eyes darkened, and unexpectedly, I sensed a tinge of concern from him.He patiently held me, gently rubbing my back, softly reassuring, "It's okay now. You're safe, I'm here."After a whi
I didn't hear everything clearly, but I understood clearly what he was trying to express.A part of me that had been calm for a long time almost collapsed again.Nails scraped across the palm.A subtle pain awakened a hint of rationality. "Is it dry now?"Ryan seriously ran his fingers through my hair a few times. "Yeah, it's almost done."The sound of the hairdryer disappeared, leaving the room quiet.I nodded. "Okay... thank you."Suddenly, he hugged me from behind, his lips against my ear, cautiously and ambiguously probing, "Did you hear what I said, even a little?"A proud man like him might have been apologizing like this for the first time.Different from the casually insincere "I'm sorry" in the past, this time, he had truly let go of his dignity.I wanted to surrender at this moment, but I was too afraid, afraid of repeating the same mistakes, afraid of being like a moth to a flame.Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, prompted by reason, I said, "I heard. But, R
I had grown to love what he loves.How could I feel forced?Ryan's dark eyes glittered, compelling. "Then I’m not forcing myself either. Come on, eat."I couldn't bear it. "Your stomach can’t take it.""You've been doing this for three years, can't I do it even once? You're underestimating me too much," he spoke earnestly.I lowered my eyes. "Then do as you wish."After dinner, he took the initiative to wash the dishes, and I continued to work without guilt.Unlike Jack, I would feel embarrassed if Jack washed dishes, after all, we were just ordinary friends.But him, I had taken care of him for three years. Now, if he cooked and washed the dishes, it wasn't too much."Do you have any stomach medicine?"While I was studying the style of the company's first batch of new products, Ryan rubbed his stomach and settled into the nearby sofa.I couldn't help but want to laugh. I poured a cup of medicine and placed it in front of him. "Didn't you say I was underestimating you?"His
Immediately, the house fell into a silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.Ryan's obsidian-like eyes stared at me unblinkingly, churning with unresolved emotions.The indifferent demeanor he once had towards everything seemed unsustainable now.The atmosphere became tense and oppressive.After what seemed like an eternity, he slowly got up, meticulously folding the blanket, grabbing the coat on the single sofa, draping it over his elbow, his voice low. "Sorry for disturbing you last night, I'll leave now."Unconsciously, I picked at my fingers and asked again, "The divorce certificate...""Let's talk about it later."Avoiding my gaze, Ryan's long lashes partially concealed his emotions. "Gary just called, you heard it too. I need to rush back to the company for a meeting."With those words, almost without giving me a chance to respond, he strode away with his long legs.As if afraid I would refuse him.I looked down at the floor, faintly hearing the sound of the elevat
Mrs. Shaw pulled out a chair and sat down, chin raised as she eyed me, exuding the aura of a wealthy person to its fullest."The current predicament of the Frost family, once news of cooperation with the Shaw family gets out, will naturally be resolved. But your obstruction will only hold Ryan back.""Yes, he indeed ranks among the best—appearance, family background, capability, character—there are few in Jelaston, or even nationwide, who can be compared to him. It's normal for you to hold onto him tightly.""However, you should consider if you're worthy. You, someone without even a supportive family, what do you have to secure the position of Mrs. Frost?"She spoke as if making idle chatter, but each word cut deep into my heart.I pinched my fingers and calmly replied, "Mrs. Shaw, I respect your seniority, but if you're going to blur the lines between right and wrong just for your daughter, don't blame me for being blunt."To hear her advocating displacing the original wife so b
Such a grand gesture.My gaze shifted to that cheque, where I saw a number starting with '5' and a long string of zeros. Never had I imagined that the melodramatic plots from novels would one day play out in my life. No, this was even more melodramatic than in novels. In novels, at least it was the male lead's mother who showed up with a cheque to kick out the female lead. What was happening to me?I found it utterly ridiculous. "Are you determined to get your way today?"She was determined to clear the obstacle that I represented for her beloved daughter.Mrs. Shaw remained cold and unyielding, her eyes devoid of warmth as she stared at me. "What do you think?"I picked up the check. Under her approving gaze, I tore it into pieces, dropped them lightly to the floor, and smiled. "I'm sorry to disappoint you. I don't buy into your threats and temptations!"People who had nothing left were the most frightening. The Shaw family might need to consider their reputation, but as for me,
"Sure, it's been a while. Thanks, Miss Greenwood." Mentioning that old shop made my mouth water too. It served traditional bone broth with a touch of chili and vinegar, a specialty far different from the soup bases at chain restaurants, which often included sesame paste or milk.Just as we got into the car, the real estate agent came running after us, panting. "Ms. Wilson, Miss Greenwood, please wait! The owner of the property you viewed yesterday morning has responded. They are willing to lower the rent.""Which property?" asked Jane."The one next door, the office space across the street." The agent pointed to a tall building just across the road. The rent there was higher than this one, and while Jane and I were satisfied, we hadn't seriously considered taking it.After exchanging glances, Jane spoke up, declining, "Forget it. Even if they lower it, we don't have that much capital to invest in rent right now.""They're willing to lower it to this amount." The agent held up a fe
Jane leaned in for a sniff. "Smells so good."Zachary’s worries were unnecessary, she only took a few bites before losing interest.The rest ended up in his stomach.Which then found its way to the toilet, and finally, down the drain.After Zachary rinsed his mouth, Jane peeled an orange for him. "Try this, see if it helps."Zachary ate the orange directly from her hand.It was so sour it made his teeth ache.Still, it seemed to provide some relief.Jane poured him some water."You don’t need to take care of me, I can handle myself.""And I can handle myself too," Jane retorted. "Why are you always doing things for me, then?""It’s different—you’re pregnant."Zachary drank a sip of the water, mostly because she had poured it."I’m just throwing up a little," said Jane.She had experienced it before—constant retching, even with nothing left in her stomach. That kind of discomfort was hard to endure.His voice was hoarse by now, which showed just how bad it had gotten.At
However, the test results showed nothing wrong.Even after being in a coma for those days, his body remained strong thanks to the nutritional IV.As long as he avoided alcohol and irritating foods, his gastritis wouldn't flare up.It certainly wouldn't become severe enough to cause this kind of reaction.Yet Zachary's vomiting was even more intense than her pregnancy nausea.Even though there was nothing left to throw up—not even stomach acid—if he kept going, he might end up vomiting bile.It really didn’t seem like the symptoms of someone perfectly healthy.So Jane contacted Tanner.After hearing her description, Tanner chuckled.Jane felt as though Tanner was gloating."Isn’t this great? He’s throwing up for you, so you can feel a bit better."Jane was taken aback.Over the time she had spent taking Zachary to the doctor, she truly hadn’t felt any discomfort herself.She had thought it was because she hadn’t eaten much, so her symptoms were temporarily subsiding."Dr.
Jane washed her face, took a moment to gather herself, then straightened up and hugged him."Stop reflecting on yourself already, hearing it makes my pregnancy symptoms worse."The tactic worked well, as she didn’t hear any more apologies from him afterward."I feel like eating an orange. Could you peel one for me?"Zachary immediately carried her to the sofa, tucked a blanket over her, and sat beside her to peel the orange.He meticulously removed every single white thread from the orange segments.Resting her chin on her hand, Jane watched him and teased, "You’re treating me even better now that I’m pregnant. Do you love the baby more than me?"Without hesitation, Zachary replied, "It’s because pregnancy is hard on you. If you hadn’t agreed to have the baby, I wouldn’t have kept—"Before he could finish, Jane kicked him, silencing him.He handed her the peeled orange.Jane couldn’t taste her mood anymore, so she focused on eating the orange.Zachary felt his teeth ache jus
"I envy his fiancee so much!""You women are so shallow. Just because he’s buying some raviolis, you think he’s humbled himself for love. Why don’t you think about this—he’s the son of an affluent family. If he hadn’t picked someone from such a poor background, why would he come to this rundown place to buy these commoner foods?"As soon as the man finished speaking, he felt a sharp, cold gaze land on him.The people who had been enthusiastically discussing with him moments earlier suddenly avoided looking at him.But Zachary merely glanced at him.His raviolis were already packed, and he was eager to bring them back for Jane.He didn’t linger long, nor did he feel the need to waste his words on clueless fools like these.Besides, even if he explained, they probably wouldn’t understand—or even care.Meanwhile, Jane had been leaning against the car window, watching Zachary the whole time. When she saw him walking back, she opened the car door for him.“Hurry, get in.”Zachary
They were heading back to their cozy little nest.On the way, her phone rang. When she saw the caller ID, she slapped Zachary’s thigh.“Oh no!”Zachary looked confused.“I forgot about Jordan!”Jordan had mentioned that she would be filming, and Westley had been by her side the entire time to protect her.Jane, preoccupied with her own matters, had assumed that with Westley around, nothing would go wrong.Her return to the country had been a last-minute decision, and she had left in a hurry.She was also dealing with the discomfort of her pregnancy.All the emotions and tasks piling up caused her to completely forget.Sure enough, when she answered the call, Jordan’s voice was full of grievance.“Aren’t we good friends?”“Yes, yes, we are,” Jane replied with an awkward cough. “Something urgent came up, so... I’m sorry.”Jordan, however, was gracious. “I understand your situation is special. Just treat me to a meal to make up for it. I’ll be flying to Jeswood soon.”“Alrig
Madam Collins’ words seemed caring, but in reality, they were meant as a warning.Zachary gently pulled his arm back and said, "No wedding, just getting the marriage certificate."“No way!” Rebecca objected.Madam Collins spoke calmly, “Registering the marriage is also a happy occasion, but it’s not suitable right now. I see your relationship is so strong, waiting a little longer won’t make a difference. The Collins family’s bloodline will never end up being talked about as illegitimate. Don’t worry about that.”Zachary wanted to say more, but Jane tugged on his arm.“I’m feeling a little unwell.”Zachary’s expression immediately changed. Without arguing with the family any further, he carried her straight to the doctor.When they reached the obstetrics department, she patted Zachary’s shoulder and said, “Put me down.”“Aren’t you...” Zachary instantly understood. “You’re trying to get me out of there?”Jane wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled him with her nose.“Pre
"I’m fine. I’ve already recovered quite a bit," Zachary said as he bent one knee to the floor.Jane instinctively wanted to kneel with him, but Zachary stopped her. "You can’t," he said, giving her a meaningful look.Understanding his intent, Jane obediently stood to the side.Rebecca became agitated. "Do your knees mean nothing to you? You’ve knelt once for her, and now again!"Lowering his gaze, Zachary said calmly, "I’m kneeling in front of my parents. There’s no question of whether it’s worth it or not. She is my fiancee, soon to be my wife. If she has caused you any displeasure, it’s my responsibility to bear it. What’s more, she hasn’t done anything wrong."Rebecca wanted to lash out, but Eric intervened. "Do you want to make your condition even worse with this anger?"A flicker of emotion passed through Zachary’s eyes, but his tone remained neutral. "I don’t understand. I only want to marry the person I love and have children. Why must you go to such lengths to oppose it
"Why are your hands so cold?"Zachary became even more anxious. He immediately picked her up, placed her on the seat, added another blanket, and asked the flight attendant to increase the temperature of the air conditioning."It’s not that cold."It was already spring. With all these layers on, Jane was worried she’d end up with a heat rash."I just washed my hands a moment ago," she explained.Zachary brought over a hand warmer for her. "Washing your hands doesn’t make them this cold. Just listen to me."Jane sighed. "It’s normal to feel nauseous during pregnancy. There might even be other symptoms later...""No, there won’t be. Nothing else will happen."Jane wanted to explain some of the facts so he could mentally prepare. When Charlotte was pregnant, Jane had read many books. If he was already this anxious now about the morning sickness, how would he handle what came later?Unexpectedly, he refused to accept any of it.Charlotte, observing the scene, couldn’t help but fee
She changed the topic, saying, "Your mother is ill."After boarding the plane, Zachary called home to check on the situation.Frank, sitting beside him, briefly explained what had happened during Zachary's coma.Zachary thought for a moment, then grabbed a blanket and returned to Jane's side, covering her with it.On the table in front of her were a tablet, fruits, water, and everything else she might need.Even so, Zachary still felt he hadn't taken care of her well enough."Do you feel uncomfortable? I heard your medical results weren’t great. If it might harm your health, then maybe..."Jane stuffed an orange into his mouth before he could finish.The orange was incredibly sour. She enjoyed it, but it made his handsome face scrunch up."Is it good?" she asked, her face full of triumphant delight.Zachary swallowed it whole and said, "Anything you feed me tastes good."Across from them, Charlotte was rendered speechless.Frank showed up just in time, popping a piece of c