As Emily arrived at the airport, her phone rang. It was Adam.“Emily, have you arrived?” he asked.Emily nodded even though he couldn’t see her. “I just got here. Which flight are the Great Wall Group people on?”“I’m in the arrivals hall at Gate 35. Let’s meet there.”“You came too?” she replied, a bit surprised.Adam laughed, “I can’t let you handle this alone. As your boss, I have to lead by example.”Emily rolled her eyes playfully. “Well, I must admit, you’re quite dedicated. No complaints here.”“Ha! What can I say? I love money. The commission from the Great Wall Group exceeds our total revenue from last year. If I nail this deal, my dad will finally take me seriously.”Emily pouted slightly. “So that’s the real reason.”“But seriously, why is the Great Wall Group choosing us? Their design team is top-notch. They could go with any international firm. What do they see in us?”Adam shrugged over the phone. “Who knows? Maybe they genuinely think we’re good. Besides, isn’t it all a
“Not exactly,” Steven said. “The boss's grandmother is ninety-six years old. She’s had high blood pressure for years, but it was well-controlled until recently, thanks to a treatment from the boss's late wife. Meggie had been feeling better after taking her prescribed medications. Unfortunately, the boss's wife passed away three years ago, and the treatment might not be effective anymore after all this time. Meggie’s health has declined in recent years; her blood pressure remains dangerously high, even on maximum medication, and she’s been admitted to ICU multiple times. The boss was raised by her, and his feelings for her are extraordinary. Naturally, everything revolves around her well-being, and he hasn’t neglected the collaboration with Stardream, Emily. I hope you and Adam understand.”Adam sighed after hearing this. “I completely understand; family comes first. I can relate to that feeling. Don’t worry, Steven. What do we need to do to assist Mr. Norman? Just let us know, and St
Steven chuckled lightly, “But you spoke such fluent American English, didn’t you? If I heard correctly, your accent is New York.”Emily frowned. “Steven, I don’t understand what you mean.”Steven smiled apologetically. “I meant no offense; I just hope thatMiranda can quickly return to New York to participate in the project. Our CEO is quite urgent about it.”“Well, I need to go home and pack. I have a lot of personal belongings to take with me.”“Once you’re in New York, Dylan will take care of all your needs—accommodations, meals, everything. You just need to make a list, and Dylan will handle it without question.”At this point, the conversation had taken on an air of inevitability.Even Adam had no reason to voice any objections.Emily couldn’t help but scoff internally; she was beginning to understand why Vincent had promoted Steven to his assistant. Dylan was easygoing and cheerful, but Steven was not. He clearly possessed superior communication skills and negotiation tactics, ef
The next few hours felt like a battlefield.Quickly processing documents, booking tickets, getting through security, finding the boarding gate—it was all a whirlwind. Steven almost had to drag Emily along at a half-run. By the time they finally reached the gate, the cabin doors were just about to close. They managed to get on the plane at the very last moment.Steven let out a breath of relief. "Miranda, it really hasn’t been easy getting you here."The flight had no first-class tickets left, so they ended up in economy class. The legroom was extremely cramped, and the space felt tight. To make matters worse, next to Emily sat a rowdy young boy, around ten years old. He kept climbing up and down, unable to sit still for a moment. Several times, he stepped on Emily's feet, leaving smudgy footprints on her dress.Emily sat in the middle, with Steven by the aisle. Seeing the situation, Steven immediately stood up. "Miranda, why don’t we swap seats?"Emily didn’t object. Her dress was an
Six hours later, the plane landed smoothly at JFK Airport in New York City.Steven's first action upon turning on his phone was to call his boss to report their arrival. Since neither he nor Emily had any luggage, they bypassed baggage claim and swiftly cleared customs, heading straight out of the terminal."Dylan is waiting for us at the entrance," Steven said.Emily nodded, unsurprised.When Dylan saw Emily, his greeting was as kind and friendly as ever. "Miranda, it's been a while."Emily smiled slightly. "Not that long. We just saw each other last week in Rome.""True, but for some people, a day apart feels like a lifetime, let alone three years," Dylan said, his words carrying a hint of meaning.Emily pretended not to notice the implication.Steven opened the car door for her, and Emily got in without complaint. During the drive, Steven was at the wheel while Dylan sat in the front passenger seat. Unlike on the plane, neither of them said much, and Emily was more than happy to re
Just then, Ken glanced towards the door. "Boss, you're here."Emily heard a hoarse voice from behind her. "Yeah, I heard Miranda was here, so I came to see her."At that moment, time seemed to stand still.Everything around her faded into silence. Emily could hear her own breathing, and the slow, deliberate footsteps of the man approaching. Each second seemed to stretch into eternity, the sound of his polished shoes on the floor echoing crisply, each step pounding like a heavy hammer on her heart.Suddenly, she felt a sharp cramp in her lower abdomen.Emily's face turned pale instantly, and she crouched down, clutching her belly.Ken, who was closest to her, rushed to support her. "Miranda, are you okay?"Cold sweat broke out on Emily's forehead. "I'm just feeling a bit unwell. I need to use the restroom."She quickly turned around, pushing past him and bursting out of the room.Ken called after her, "Just go straight to the end and turn right, the ladies' room is there—"Satan watche
Emily closed her eyes, trying to regulate her breathing, pushing down the emotions surging within her.“Mr. Norman, this is the ladies' restroom,” she said, her voice strained.“I know,” Satan replied, leaning in, seemingly inhaling the scent of her hair. “You changed your shampoo too.”“Mr. Norman, I came to the Great Wall Group to provide design support, not to discuss shampoos or menstrual cycles with you,” Emily said, her frustration barely concealed.Satan didn’t stop, lifting a strand of her hair from her shoulder, bringing it to his nose. “It’s true, it’s different. You used to use gardenia—light and fresh. Now, it’s lavender, much stronger.”Emily had enough. She reached out and gave him a hard push.Perhaps he hadn’t expected her to resist physically; he stumbled back a couple of steps.Free at last, Emily almost ran out, as though chased by a hundred demons.She wanted nothing more than to leave this place—especially when she was alone with him.Her menstrual cycle, her sham
Emily descended the stairs directly to the lobby on the first floor.Steven saw her coming and quickly caught up. “Miranda, while you’re in New York, I’ll be taking care of everything regarding your accommodation. Do you have any specific requests for the hotel? I can book it right away.”Emily looked at him, “Did Mr. Norman send you?”“No, it was Dylan who asked me to come,” Steven replied with a slightly awkward smile. “He said you might not want to see him and since I’m a new face, you might not feel too opposed.”Emily hummed, “He certainly knows me well.”“Well, Dylan has been Mr. Norman’s assistant for so many years. He’s very experienced.” Steven noticed Emily's red eyes, as if she had just been crying. To change the subject, he added, “About the hotel…”“North-facing, not much sunlight, and a room with a kitchen—those are my requirements,” Emily replied.Steven nodded eagerly. “Got it, I’ll take care of it now.”He jogged ahead of her to hold the door open as they exited the b
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