No one could refute Emily's words. Grace, Sophia, and Logan all knew that the dress belonged to Emily from the beginning!Logan felt his authority being undermined. He pointed at Emily's nose and scolded, "How dare you talk back to me? Don’t you have any manners or respect?"Grace quickly patted Logan’s chest, pretending to comfort him. "Dear, don’t be so angry. Emily is your child. How can you be so harsh on your child?"Although Logan was angry, he couldn’t afford to strain his relationship with Emily too much now.Emily was dating Vincent and had gained Meggie’s favor. Emily was no longer a girl who could be easily bullied; Logan had to consider the consequences of his anger.Logan pointed to the attic upstairs. "Go to the attic and stay there. Think carefully about what you did wrong today. Don’t come down to eat until you figure it out!""Daring, it’s so easy to order takeout now," Grace said."If you want to order takeout, then move out!" Logan gritted his teeth and sneered, "Yo
"Sophia, go back to your room. I need to make a call."Sophia nodded. "Are you calling Mandy?""And Emma," Grace said. "Don’t forget, Emily is pregnant with Vincent’s child. That’s her biggest leverage. If we want to completely bring down Emily, this child must not survive."...Emily stayed in the attic for an entire day.Logan’s anger had not subsided. He kept throwing things around, making loud noises. Occasionally, she could hear him talking with Grace, but Grace’s voice was so low that Emily couldn’t make out their conversation.But she knew they wouldn’t be saying anything pleasant.Emily was also feeling chaotic inside, unable to concentrate on the book in her hands.Her mother had passed away early, leaving hardly anything behind.Apart from some clothes, everything else had been cremated. There were no items at home connected to her mother.Over the years, her impression of her mother was only from a single photograph.Her mother looked very much like her. In the photo, her m
As Emily’s pregnancy progressed, she felt increasingly fatigued.She had been in the attic all day, reading. She was so tired that she lay on the bed, listening to Mr. Satan’s gentle, deep voice, and eventually fell asleep.When she woke up in the morning, she realized the call had lasted all night. Her phone was warm in her hand.Hearing her stir, Mr. Satan said softly, "Awake?"Emily rubbed her hair, a bit embarrassed, and brought the phone closer to her ear. "I fell asleep. Why didn’t you hang up?""I didn’t want to," Mr. Satan said. "I like hearing you breathe. It makes me feel happy."Emily walked to the window and looked down. The familiar streetlight below was no longer accompanied by the car.He wasn’t there."My grandmother asked me to come home this morning," Mr. Satan said. "Her driver will come to pick you up shortly. Get ready; he should be arriving soon."Emily asked, "How is your grandma’s condition?""Grandma?" Mr. Satan sounded very pleased. "Yesterday, you called her
Logan was stunned."Meggie’s condition has improved?"Bella nodded. "That’s right. Meggie has been drinking the herbal medicine Emily prescribed for two days, and her coughing and chest tightness have significantly reduced. Emily is a benefactor of the Norman family! And you treated her like this?"Grace was dumbfounded. How could this be? Emily was a girl who hadn’t even gone to college. How could she possibly treat an illness? What was going on?Logan quickly reacted, though the atmosphere was clearly very awkward. He frowned and blamed Grace, "This is all your fault. You told me Emily couldn’t treat Meggie. You made me punish Emily!"Logan placed all the blame on Grace.Logan explained to Bella, "This is all a misunderstanding. I only acted based on what Grace said, so I wrongly blamed Emily. I’ll go bring her down right away!"Bella looked at him, speechless with surprise.How could there be such a shameless chameleon?Bella’s gaze at Logan was full of disdain.A minute later, Log
Mr. Satan licked his lips and looked at Emily tenderly. "I’ll do whatever Emily says."Meggie teased him with a smile. "It seems the sun rose from the west today. Vincent, you’re actually shy!"Alex laughed as well. "Vincent, I’ve never seen you like this before. Ha ha…""Since Vincent and Emily have such a strong relationship, I suggest they get married as soon as possible," Meggie thought for a moment and added, "At the very least, they should get engaged. We need to let everyone know that Emily is part of our family so others will respect her."Emily is going to become Mrs. Norman?Mandy was shocked. What happened to Meggie? According to her usual words, there are many women in the world good enough for Vincent. Why did she change her mind after meeting Emily?Mandy felt there was something fishy about this situation.Mandy smiled and said, "Mom, it seems you’re very satisfied with Emily. In that case, let’s invite Logan Morgan and his wife to our home and discuss when to hold the
Mandy felt extremely wronged. "I didn’t originally plan to become friends with her. That day at the party, we chatted, and I felt her experiences were similar to mine. Slowly, we became familiar with each other."Alex, slightly reproachful, said, "She approached you because she needed something from you. As Mom said, you’re easy to use."Mandy’s tears flowed even more. "It’s all my fault.""I’m not blaming you. Stop crying. If our children see this, they’ll think something serious has happened." Alex hugged her tighter and said in a low voice, "Vincent already has a bride, but we still need to think about Bryden and Janet’s marriages. They’ve been spoiled too much by us. Their personalities and abilities aren’t as strong as Vincent’s. It worries me."Mandy was immediately unhappy. "Alex, Bryden and Janet are your biological children. Vincent is just an adopted son. Why do you favor him over your own children?""What are you talking about?" Alex was also getting angry. "I’ve been Vince
Emily returned to the Morgan family late in the evening, with Mr. Satan driving her back.They arrived at the doorstep, but Mr. Satan was reluctant to let her go."In the past, it was easy for us to meet. When I returned to Room 2307 at the Hilton Hotel at night, I could see you coming out of the kitchen in an apron, blushing, asking me whether to eat first or shower."Thinking about those days at the Hilton Hotel, Emily also felt they were sweet.Life was simple and happy then.She cooked for him every day, did the laundry, waited for him to come home for dinner, and they slept in each other's arms. Just thinking about those days was enough to intoxicate her.But they both carried too much baggage with their lives."I need to get justice for my mother," Emily said. "Do you have any progress on your private matters?""It will be over soon," Mr. Satan replied."Does Grandma know I'm pregnant?""She does," Mr. Satan said. "Despite staying in her room all day, she's good at getting infor
At eleven fifty in the afternoon, Emily rushed to the television studio.It was clear that this was a newly built place. Although the main structure was completed, there were still unfinished areas around, and many workers were busy nearby.There was no parking lot here, so cars had to be parked outside.Emily immediately spotted Lucas's RV. He and Amanda had already arrived.Amanda had sent her a message; the makeup rooms in this new studio were limited. Since Lucas was very popular now, he had been allocated a separate room, while several other less famous stars shared one.After asking a few workers, Emily finally found Lucas's makeup room.She was about to knock when the door swung open from the inside.Olivia rushed over and gave her a hug. "Emily, you're finally here! I've missed you!"Emily was almost out of breath from Olivia's tight embrace. Thankfully, Allen Parker walked over, grabbed Olivia by the collar, and pulled her aside like handling a chick.Allen Parker nodded at E
One year later. The house was filled with the soft glow of Christmas lights, their gentle hues dancing across the living room. Emily and Vincent had transformed their home into a cozy haven, with garlands, twinkling lights, and an extravagant Christmas tree that sparkled from every angle. The scent of cinnamon and pine mingled in the air as holiday music played softly in the background, creating a festive, heartwarming atmosphere. This Christmas, their first as a married couple, felt like the beginning of something truly beautiful, a peaceful moment carved from the chaos they’d left behind. Guests began to arrive, the first among them being Allen and Olivia, who had just returned from their honeymoon. They entered, hand-in-hand, faces glowing with happiness. Olivia had transformed over the last year. Now a poised and capable woman, she’d embraced her role in helping Allen manage the family business, but her girlish side was still evident. “Emily!” Olivia squealed as she hugged her f
"Three years ago, I nearly died." Emily snatched her passport back from Sophia’s hand. "This British couple is my family. They’re good people. They saved me and took me to England."She held the passport firmly. "And yet, you still wouldn’t let me go. You went to every length to forge my death certificate.""Do you all want to know why they wouldn’t leave a ‘dead’ woman alone?" Emily let out a bitter laugh. "Because this was their only chance to inherit the wealth I left behind.""I didn’t die; I’m alive and back to reclaim what’s rightfully mine. This time, no one will hurt me. Sophia, you and your mother won’t steal my inheritance, and you won’t ruin my wedding. Now, the ceremony continues."Satan stood in the grand hall, watching the strong, fearless woman Emily had become, a wave of unspeakable joy rising within him. His woman had become powerful.Dressed in a white gown, Emily walked slowly toward Satan, accompanied by Bert. The small diamonds on her gown sparkled under the light
“I know,” Emily said firmly.When Vincent slid the ring onto her finger, she felt a flash of disbelief. She’d expected Sophia to pull something, but Vincent’s unwavering stance took her by surprise. It’s over—everything’s finally over.Emily’s eyes glistened with tears.The priest’s voice resonated, “The groom may now kiss the bride…”Emily lowered her head, tears shimmering on her lashes. Vincent leaned in, kissing away the tear before it fell.Applause thundered through the church, and the priest laughed. “Go on, kiss her; she’s yours now.”Vincent didn’t hesitate, pulling Emily into a kiss. “You’re my wife, Emily. Finally.”Emily smiled through her tears. “Yes, I’m finally your wife.”Vincent turned with Emily still in his embrace, facing the crowd. “Emily and I are together now, and nothing will ever come between us again.”The guests watched, Meggie wiping tears of joy from her eyes.But Sophia wasn’t about to let things end on such a perfect note. Her face twisted with such fury
Dylan was right.Three days later, Emily Carter and Vincent Norman were to be married. With Meggie as the wedding’s head organizer, invitations bore Emily's name, revealing to everyone that Miranda—the talented designer making waves at the Pritzker Architecture Prize—was indeed Emily.The announcement stunned all of New York and the entire architecture community. So Miranda is really Emily? People couldn’t believe the city’s most eligible bachelor, Vincent, had been swept off his feet so quickly.The Norman family, known for their longstanding legacy, hosted an extravagant guest list. Alex greeted everyone warmly, while Mandy barely cracked a smile. She was still fuming—she’d barely started her schemes with Grace to find Vincent a “suitable” bride, only to be blindsided by this wedding! She muttered, “Wasn’t he supposed to be so deeply in love with Emily? Now he’s marrying someone else so fast?”Meggie overheard and firmly replied, “The bride is Emily.”“Oh, come on, Mom. She’s not—”
Emily suddenly felt super self-conscious. “Fine, I’ll drink it. But after I’m done, go back to your office!”With that, she tilted her head back and gulped down the entire glass of lemon water in one go. She quickly shoved the empty glass back into Vincent's hands, saying, "There, all done!"Vincent's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Great. Come to my office at lunchtime," he said with a hint of mischief.Emily frantically tried to signal him with her eyes, mouthing, “People are watching!”Vincent seemed completely unfazed and continued, “It’s freezing outside, so don’t go out. I already asked Dylan to pick up lunch for us; he’ll bring it up, and we’ll eat together.”“...Okay.”He’s gotta be done now, right? Emily thought to herself, hoping he’d leave before the entire office saw this unfold live.“Oh, one more thing,” Vincent added nonchalantly, “Don’t rush off after work. We’ll swing by and pick up your uncle first, then head to my place for dinner with my dad and Meggie.”Emily blink
As soon as Allen left the hospital room, Jackson turned pale and, with a sudden heave, threw up everything he’d just eaten, leaving a mess on the floor.The young nurse, no older than twenty, panicked and rushed toward the door to call a doctor, but Jackson stopped her. “Stay,” he commanded.The nurse looked at him with wide eyes, almost on the verge of tears as she saw his ashen face. “Sir, if you’re unwell, you really should let the doctor check—”“I’m not unwell,” Jackson replied, his voice cold, with a glint of harshness in his eyes. The nurse flinched slightly at his intense gaze.“Are you scared of me?” he asked, a smirk playing on his lips.“N-no, not at all,” the nurse stammered, shaking her head. “It’s just…”“Don’t worry about it,” he said, a faint sneer forming. “Fear is natural. I’ve never been the nicest person, and I don’t pretend to be.”“Oh no, you’re a good person, sir! You… well, you pay me well,” she replied hesitantly.“Money alone doesn’t make someone good,” Jacks
The projects across the company were running smoothly. Ken managed the technical aspects, and Daniel handled administration and overall decision-making. Even during Satan's three-year absence, The Great Wall Group retained its position as New York’s leading business powerhouse.As Emily browsed the recent news on her phone in the car, it was clear the city was engulfed in Christmas cheer, bright and bustling.Satan glanced over. “Any plans for Christmas?”She paused. “Not really. I’ll probably just stay in and watch TV with Bert.”He nodded without pressing further. Emily wondered what had prompted him to ask; he’d usually spend Christmas with his family.A slight smile crept across her face, but her expression held a tinge of sadness. The people in her life seemed to be growing fewer by the year. Christmas used to be difficult but joyful, a shared warmth despite the hardships. This year, it felt especially lonely. Sophia had long severed ties with the family, and William was gone. It
Jackson cut her off. “Then let me take you to meet my family! You’re amazing—they just don’t know you yet. Once they do, they’ll definitely support us being together. That way, we won’t have to choose, and we can stay together, right?”“What if they still don’t agree?”“I’ll talk to them. I’m committed to you for life. They’ll have to come around, whether they agree or not!”Emily couldn’t help but laugh. “But I don’t agree.”Jackson felt a pang of panic. He tried to sit up to reach her hand, but his body was still confined by the plaster, immobilizing him completely, and he was forced to lie back down. “Emily, are you worried because my parents don’t like you? If I love you, their initial reservations don’t matter; they’ll come to accept it.”“That’s part of it,” Emily admitted, “but there’s a more important reason…”A sinking feeling came over Jackson. “…What is it?”……Weather forecasts are rarely reliable, but this time, it turned out to be spot on.By evening, the sky was filled
Emily didn’t say anything, but her mind was a mess.“You don’t need to say so many sentimental things,” she replied softly. “For Meggie’s sake, I’ll go through with the wedding. Don’t worry.”“But I don’t want a fake wedding,” Satan replied. “I want it to be real.”The elevator stopped on the ground floor.Emily stepped out first, and unlike the warmth of the room upstairs, cold snowflakes were now drifting down outside, and the air felt sharp against her skin, like knives slicing across her face.Standing at the Hilton’s entrance, she asked, “Did you drive here?”“I took a cab.”“Did you sneak out again?”Satan shrugged with a wry smile. “Dylan’s been keeping too close an eye on me.”With no other option, Emily walked to the curb and flagged down a taxi for him, signaling for him to hurry up.“To St. Mary’s Hospital, please,” she instructed, then turned back to him. “When you get there, have Dylan call me to let me know you arrived safely, okay?”He nodded. “And what about you? What