"I want her to come out and see me. I want her to come home with me.”"That’s not happening," Bennett replied flatly, pulling out his phone. "If you don’t leave, I’m calling the cops." "Go ahead, call them! Sylvia won’t let me get dragged off to jail. She’ll come for me—she always does!""Alright, let’s find out." Without hesitation, he made the call. When the police arrived, Nathaniel was still shouting Sylvia’s name as they dragged him away. Inside the house, Sylvia sat on the sofa with Bennett’s mother, the two of them engrossed in a lively discussion about a melodramatic romance show playing on TV. They were laughing and chatting animatedly when Sylvia’s phone buzzed. It was the police. "Miss Garner, do you know a Mr. Nathaniel Sinclair? He’s intoxicated and causing a disturbance. Could you come down to the station?" Sylvia glanced up at Bennett, instantly understanding who had called them. She spoke calmly into the phone. "I’m sorry, Officer, but I don’t know him."
After she left, a figure slowly stepped out from behind the pillar. Watching Sylvia walk away, Nathaniel felt his heart twist as if it were being torn apart. He loved her deeply. He couldn’t forget her no matter how hard he tried. But now, she hated him, refusing to even look at him. However, Nathaniel wasn’t ready to give up. He made up his mind to wait for her, no matter how long it took. During the month she was away, Nathaniel changed a great deal. He tried to become the man he thought she deserved, hoping for another chance. Finally, on the day Sylvia returned, Nathaniel rushed to the airport as soon as he heard the news, only to discover she was already gone.He hadn’t seen her in over a month, and the longing was unbearable. Unbeknownst to him, Sylvia’s first stop after landing wasn’t home but the hospital. When Nathaniel received word of her location, he drove straight to the hospital. But when he arrived, he was greeted by the sight of Sylvia walking out of a doc
“Dad, didn’t you mention the fiancé you arranged for me as a child has been looking for me? Tell him I’m getting married on the first of next month but need a groom. Ask if he’s interested.”The voice on the other end paused in shock. “Aren’t you set on marrying Nathaniel? You’re already planning the wedding. What happened? Did he do something to upset you?” “Dad, just help me ask.” “Alright, as long as you’re sure about this. All I want is for you to be happy.”Sylvia Garner, eyes red with tears, replied firmly, “I will be.” She had once loved Nathaniel Sinclair with all her heart, convinced he was her destined partner. Their wedding date was set, and she had been overjoyed, counting down the days to becoming his bride. But just now, she received a devastating blow. An hour earlier. Sylvia stood before the mirror in a pristine white wedding gown. Her graceful figure, accentuated by the dress, looked breathtaking. “Miss Garner, this custom-made gown designed by Mr. Sincla
When Sylvia got home, she started packing her things. Halfway through, Nathaniel walked in. “Sylvia, as soon as I finished up at work, I came straight back. Did you miss me?” He held out a large bouquet of red roses with a bright smile. “I got these just for you. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay with you till the end at the bridal shop earlier. Let me make it up to my sweetheart, alright?” Looking at the slightly wilted roses, clearly suffering from lack of water, Sylvia almost laughed out loud in anger. It was obvious that this was the same bouquet he had used at the proposal. He must have casually grabbed it on his way out. So, in his eyes, she was only worth these discarded props from his grand display for someone else? “What’s so funny?” Nathaniel asked, uneasy at the sight of her faint smile. “Nothing.” Sylvia took the bouquet, but her eyes caught a glimpse of something under the moonlight—bright red lipstick smudged on his collar. It was glaringly obvious. She ra
After finally calming her down, Nathaniel, as he always did, leaned in to kiss the corner of Sylvia’s lips. This time, she pushed him away. He cleared his throat awkwardly and released her. Then, as if nothing had happened, he reached out with a grin. “By the way, where’s my gift? You promised me something.” “Wait here,” Sylvia said, heading upstairs. In her room, she retrieved the wedding invitations they had picked out together and pulled out a pen. She crossed out the original names of the bride and groom and wrote in her own name alongside Bennett Cooper’s. Then, she carefully placed the altered invitations back into the box and sealed it with tape.When she came back downstairs, she handed the box to Nathaniel. “What’s this?” he asked curiously, reaching to open it, but Sylvia stopped him. “Don’t open it until the first of next month.” Hearing that date, Nathaniel’s hands froze for a moment. Wasn’t that the day he was supposed to marry Vivian? “Why?” “Because th
Nathaniel was still hesitating when Sylvia suddenly walked in. “Who are you on the phone with?” “Oh, just Charles and the guys. They’re asking me to join them for a few drinks.” “Is that so? It’s been a while since I’ve seen them. I’ll come too. I could use a drink.” She was curious just how well they could keep their secret with her around. Nathaniel tried to talk her out of it the entire way, but nothing worked. Frustrated, he resorted to nervously fiddling with his phone, texting his friends to prepare for her arrival. When they arrived at the private room in the bar, Sylvia immediately spotted Nathaniel’s friends. Four men sat rigidly, sipping their drinks in silence. Not a single waitress was in sight.As soon as they saw Sylvia, they scrambled to their feet in unison. “Good evening, Mrs. Sinclair. Don’t worry, there’s no one else here tonight—just us guys.” Sylvia raised an eyebrow. “So, what you’re saying is, I don’t belong here because I’m not one of the guys?”
“Help! Someone fell down the stairs!” Shouts echoed in her ears as a crowd quickly gathered around. Before she lost consciousness, Sylvia caught a glimpse of Nathaniel and his friends. One by one, they slipped away. They noticed the commotion, gave it a casual glance, and walked off. How could they possibly know that the person lying there, surrounded by the crowd, was Sylvia—the woman they thought had already left? When Sylvia woke up, she found herself in a hospital bed. A nurse was tending to her wounds. “You’re awake?” “Why am I here?” “Oh, you fainted from low blood sugar. A stranger brought you in and left after making sure you were safe. What’s your family’s number? I’ll call them for you.” “There’s no need,” Sylvia said, shaking her head.The mere thought of Nathaniel Sinclair’s name was enough to make her stomach churn.Dragging her heavy steps, she left the room and headed to the billing desk. She hadn’t gone far when she overheard two nurses chatting nearby.
Seeing his panicked expression, Sylvia took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. “It’s nothing. I was just talking nonsense. I won’t be free that day.” She turned to leave, and Nathaniel instinctively stepped forward to follow her. Sylvia stopped him in his tracks. “You’re here to accompany your friend for her check-up. Leaving her alone wouldn’t be very considerate, would it? I’ll head back on my own. You don’t need to worry about me.” Nathaniel hesitated but then turned back to watch Sylvia walk away. A pang of pain hit his chest as he watched her retreating figure. Vivian, noticing his concern for Sylvia, crouched down beside him. “Nathaniel, I’m in so much pain. My whole body hurts. Will you take me home?” Irritated by Sylvia’s cold demeanor, Nathaniel’s frustration boiled over. He brushed Vivian off sharply. “Know your place. Stop provoking her.” Back at home, Sylvia resumed packing. She couldn’t stand staying in this place any longer. Thankfully, she didn’
After she left, a figure slowly stepped out from behind the pillar. Watching Sylvia walk away, Nathaniel felt his heart twist as if it were being torn apart. He loved her deeply. He couldn’t forget her no matter how hard he tried. But now, she hated him, refusing to even look at him. However, Nathaniel wasn’t ready to give up. He made up his mind to wait for her, no matter how long it took. During the month she was away, Nathaniel changed a great deal. He tried to become the man he thought she deserved, hoping for another chance. Finally, on the day Sylvia returned, Nathaniel rushed to the airport as soon as he heard the news, only to discover she was already gone.He hadn’t seen her in over a month, and the longing was unbearable. Unbeknownst to him, Sylvia’s first stop after landing wasn’t home but the hospital. When Nathaniel received word of her location, he drove straight to the hospital. But when he arrived, he was greeted by the sight of Sylvia walking out of a doc
"I want her to come out and see me. I want her to come home with me.”"That’s not happening," Bennett replied flatly, pulling out his phone. "If you don’t leave, I’m calling the cops." "Go ahead, call them! Sylvia won’t let me get dragged off to jail. She’ll come for me—she always does!""Alright, let’s find out." Without hesitation, he made the call. When the police arrived, Nathaniel was still shouting Sylvia’s name as they dragged him away. Inside the house, Sylvia sat on the sofa with Bennett’s mother, the two of them engrossed in a lively discussion about a melodramatic romance show playing on TV. They were laughing and chatting animatedly when Sylvia’s phone buzzed. It was the police. "Miss Garner, do you know a Mr. Nathaniel Sinclair? He’s intoxicated and causing a disturbance. Could you come down to the station?" Sylvia glanced up at Bennett, instantly understanding who had called them. She spoke calmly into the phone. "I’m sorry, Officer, but I don’t know him."
But Bennett restrained himself, driving the car to a pharmacy and parking outside. Moments later, he returned, opened the passenger door, and gently pulled off Sylvia’s sock. She looked at him in confusion. “What are you doing?” “Checking your ankle. Didn’t you say it was twisted? If it’s swollen, it could get worse.” “Thank you.” Sylvia’s heart stirred as she watched his careful movements. Acting on impulse, she leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. That light, fleeting kiss was enough to make Bennett’s face flush all the way to the tips of his ears. For all his teasing confidence, being kissed by her left him flustered, unsure of how to respond. Sylvia chuckled at his reaction. “Well, well, the great General Cooper is actually blushing?” “I’m not blushing,” he said, quickly looking away as he massaged her ankle. She let out a soft cry of surprise. “Ah!” Bennett immediately froze, panic flashing across his face. “Did that hurt?” “No, it’s fine,”
Nathaniel’s chest tightened with fury, the sight before him igniting a fire he could barely contain.“Bennett Cooper, let her go! I won’t let you touch her!” He lunged forward, intent on pulling the two apart. Bennett effortlessly sidestepped him, and Nathaniel lost his balance, stumbling and falling hard to the ground. He rolled awkwardly before finally coming to a stop, looking utterly humiliated. The crowd around them, drawn to the commotion, began whispering and pointing at him. “Serves him right. Betraying someone and now acting all regretful. What’s the point?” “Too little, too late! If he really cared, he wouldn’t have screwed it up in the first place.”Bennett glanced at Nathaniel and let out a mocking laugh. “Mr. Sinclair, let me warn you one last time—stay away from Sylvia. She’s my wife now and will be for the rest of her life. You’ll never get her back!” Struggling to his feet, Nathaniel retorted through gritted teeth, “A marriage can end in divorce! Don’t get c
The air at the stables was fresh, and the wide, open surroundings lifted Sylvia’s mood considerably. “Come here.” The man standing not far away waved at her with a smile, and for a moment, Sylvia found herself in a daze. Bennett, effortlessly charismatic and undeniably striking, carried an air of elegance in every movement. Clad in riding gear, with the reins of a pony in one hand and a faint smile playing on his lips, he drew attention like a magnet.Nearby, a group of young women was utterly captivated. Phones were whipped out, cameras snapping away as they admired Bennett with dreamy expressions. Some even mustered the courage to approach him, asking for his number or his social media. Sylvia frowned, her good mood evaporating in an instant. She strode up to the nearest woman, took the phone from her hand, and entered a string of digits before handing it back. “There. His number.” “Thank you!” the woman said, beaming as if she’d won the lottery before happily skippin
When Vivian woke up, she found herself in a regular hospital room. Her stomach felt hollow, empty—the baby was gone. Nathaniel had sent someone to deliver a bank card. “There’s one million dollars in here. Mr. Sinclair asked us to give it to you.” Staring at the card, Vivian felt an icy chill seep into her heart. “One million dollars?” She scoffed bitterly. “It was just two hundred thousand dollars before. Looks like my worth shot up after losing the baby.”“And,” the man added, “Mr. Sinclair also bought you a plane ticket. It’s for this afternoon.” “This afternoon?” Vivian let out a cold laugh, disbelief twisting her face. Did Nathaniel hate her that much? She had just undergone surgery, and he was already desperate to make her disappear from his life. “I want to see him.”“Apologies, but Mr. Sinclair made it clear that he won’t see you.” With that, the man locked the hospital room door behind him. “When it’s time, I’ll escort you to the airport.” Vivian clutched t
“Nathaniel, do you even know what you’re saying? The child I’m carrying is yours—your own flesh and blood! And yet you’re telling me to get rid of it?” Nathaniel raised his cold, emotionless gaze, his expression as detached as if he were a machine without a shred of feeling. "Technically, it’s not a child yet. It’s less than a month old—just a cluster of cells," he said, his tone cold and detached, the cruel words cutting like a blade.“Cells?” Vivian staggered back in disbelief, shaking her head. She couldn’t fathom how he could say something so heartless. “Nathaniel, that’s your child! How can you talk about it like this?” “Child? What child?” Nathaniel’s friends walked in just then, their eyes landing on Vivian’s tear-streaked face. It didn’t take long for them to put the pieces together. “Nathaniel, are you telling us you and Vivian already have a child?” Vivian grabbed one of them by the arm out of desperation and dropped to her knees. “Help me, please! I don’t know
After Sylvia left, Nathaniel felt like his life was falling apart. He tried to get out of bed, but the nurse blocked his way. "Mr. Sinclair, you are not fully recovered, and your body is still weak. You should stay in bed." “I need to find Sylvia! Get out of my way! I need to see her!” “The young lady who stayed with you last night? She already left with her husband,” the nurse replied. That one word “husband” brought Nathaniel to an abrupt halt. Husband?Then it struck him that Sylvia was married. She really got married. She had married another man. 'No! As long as they haven’t registered their marriage, it doesn’t count!' he thought. “He’s not her husband! I’m her husband! I’m the one she belongs to!” Nathaniel shouted. The nurse, at a loss for how to handle his outburst, could only stand by helplessly. At that moment, Vivian rushed into the room, her excitement barely contained. “Nathaniel, I’m pregnant!” It was like a bolt of lightning struck him. Nathani
The moment Nathaniel saw Bennett, his face darkened instantly. “What are you doing here, Bennett?” “Isn’t it obvious?” Bennett crossed his arms, his gaze cold as he stared at the man in front of him. “Nathaniel Sinclair, right? Sylvia turned down every single proposal from the Cooper family because of you?” “She rejected your proposals… because of me?” Nathaniel’s guilt deepened. For years, he had assumed that Sylvia’s lack of romantic prospects meant no one else wanted her. He never once considered that she’d already had a suitor—one who was far more accomplished than he was, a high-ranking military officer no less. At that moment, he realized just how utterly wrong he had been. If he could go back, he would never have agreed to marry Vivian. “All right, since you’re awake now, my wife and I will head home to rest,” Bennett said dismissively, not bothering to argue further. When he saw Sylvia stepping out of the restroom, he grabbed her hand, his tone firm. “Let’s go h