"Are you Zelda's brother?" Nan asked, looking surprised.I was about to explain the situation—that Xander was my brother through marriage—but before I could, James spoke up."Do you have an issue with that?" he asked his tone calm but with an underlying challenge.I frowned. It seemed that James was deliberately letting Nan believe that, without correcting him. I knew this was intentional.Nan, completely unaware, changed his tune, apologizing to James and offering to get drinks for everyone. He turned to James, asking if he was thirsty. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the boy, as James was clearly messing with him."He's not thirsty!" I cut in, stopping Nan before he went off to fetch drinks. "Don’t worry about him," I added, not wanting to see Nan get used this way.James squeezed my hand, his voice playful. "If he wants to chase someone, he has to learn to run errands. I’m just giving him a chance to show off," he said, looking at Nan with a teasing smirk.Nan smiled and winked
“Are you okay?” Nan’s voice pulled me back as he appeared from somewhere in the crowd, steadying me before I could hit the ground.I straightened myself, glancing up just in time to see James’s tall figure weaving through the crowd. His arms were wrapped protectively around someone. Though I couldn’t make out the face, I didn’t need to—I knew it was Susan Wenger.“Don’t push! Someone fell down!” a voice called from the back, but the crowd pressed forward anyway, eager to catch the drone show that had started just beyond the haunted house.I forced myself to look away from James and turned to Nan.“Where are the children?” I asked, my voice tight with worry.He gave me a reassuring smile. “They’re fine. Don’t worry. Let’s get out of here first.”I nodded, letting him guide me as we moved through the throng. It wasn’t long before the crowd thinned and we could finally breathe. Overhead, drones began to light up the night sky, their formations accompanied by gasps and cheers.I glanced u
When I got Xander home, I thought I’d finally have some peace, but Nan wouldn’t take no for an answer. He insisted it was “on the way” and practically dragged me into his car. I had no energy to argue.When we pulled up at my Apartment, I got out quickly, hoping he’d take the hint and leave. But no—he followed me, his voice warm and concerned.“With all the stuff online, would you like me to recommend a reliable lawyer or public relations firm?”I paused, surprised by his sincerity. Of course, he would know about the chaos. The ugly headlines about Noelle had been trending all day.I turned to him, meeting his earnest gaze, and forced a small smile.“Don’t you think I’m really greedy for money, like they say, just because I accepted that two million deal?”Nan raised an eyebrow and shook his head. “How could that be? You’re my idol. If anything, you’re worth way more than that. The person who got to use your music should feel honoured.”His tone was so serious that I nearly laughed. T
James threw me on the bed like I was a sack of potatoes, then stomped over to my closet, yanked out some clothes, and threw them at me."Put this on and come with me!" he barked.I sat up, completely disoriented, my hair a mess, and my anger bubbling to the surface. There was no way I’d comply with his ridiculous demands, especially not at this hour."Have you completely lost your goddamn mind?!" I snapped, brushing my hair out of my face. "I’m not going anywhere with you! If you won’t agree to a divorce, we can separate. Two years apart, and I can file for divorce on my own!"I squared my shoulders, staring him down despite the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest.James's expression darkened, his presence more suffocating than ever."Separate?" he sneered. "You think you can walk away just like that? If I don’t agree with the divorce, you’re going nowhere, Zelda!"Then he turned to grab the quilt from my bed.I backed away instinctively, wrapping my arms around myself."What are y
“Get out?” I echoed, my voice laced with disbelief. “What do you mean, get out? Out where? Go where?”The dark night pressed against the windows, and I could feel the cold seeping into the car even though I was wrapped in a quilt. My night dress—short, silky, and wholly inappropriate for the situation—clung to me.“It’s pitch black outside, and you want me to walk out there like this?”James leaned back in his seat, his expression as cold as the night air. “Then maybe you should apologize,” he said simply as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world.I blinked, incredulous. “Apologize?”“Yes,” he said with an almost bored indifference. “Maybe if you apologize, you can stay in this warm, dry car. Otherwise, you can step out into the rain.”Rain. That’s when I noticed the faint pitter-patter against the windshield. He glanced out the window and added nonchalantly,“I think it’s starting to get heavier.”I could feel my blood boiling, anger rising in me like a wave. I stared at h
JamesI had just returned to the Mansion. On my desk lay a thick file detailing Duan Kun’s crimes—pages filled with accounts of his abuse, both coercive and violent. The sheer scale of it turned my stomach, and I could barely stomach the thought of what could’ve happened if Zelda hadn’t escaped him that night.The room felt heavy with my anger as I read on, each detail stoking the fire of my rage. I was lost in it until the vibration of my phone broke through the tension.Her name on the screen immediately drew my focus. She’d unblocked me and sent a message, asking to meet. My grip on the anger loosened slightly as I read her words, and for the first time in hours, the icy edge in my chest dulled.Without hesitation, I threw the file into the trash and turned to Lei, who stood silently nearby.“Make sure Duan Kun pays,” I said firmly. “Leave him alive, but make him wish he weren’t.”Lei bowed slightly, his acknowledgement silent but resolute, before leaving to carry out my orders.Se
I sat alone in the café downstairs, my mind swirling. The lawyer I had hired had fled as soon as he realized that my opponent was James Ferguson. He had seen the name, and panic took over him, so now I was left waiting, alone.I glanced at the time—soon, I had to head to the fashion design studio for practice, but all I could focus on was getting this divorce agreement signed. Today. It had to happen today.But just as I tried to calm my nerves, I felt a shift in the atmosphere. It was as if someone’s gaze was pinning me in place. When I raised my eyes, I saw him—James—striding toward me with that familiar cold aura around him. A chill seemed to follow him wherever he went, and as he came closer, the air seemed to freeze.Before I could even react, he grabbed my wrist, yanking me out of the chair. My heart raced, panic setting in as he pulled me toward the door. His pace was unrelenting, the sharpness in his movements sending waves of unease through me. I stumbled, my thighs colliding
When I heard the voice outside and realized it was Susan Wenger, I felt an unexpected wave of relief. The tension in the car wasn’t mine to bear anymore—it was James’s.Leaning closer to him, I whispered mockingly, “Don’t even think about letting go now. If she gets upset and something happens to her baby, don’t expect me to take the blame.”His grip on my waist tightened briefly, a silent warning, but he let go shortly after. The haste with which he distanced himself only made the moment more uncomfortable.A bitter laugh escaped me, and without thinking, I reached for the car window button. If he wanted to keep up appearances so badly, why not let her see everything?Before I could press it, his hand shot out and grabbed mine, his tone cutting through the tension.“Stop playing games. Get off. Now.”The coldness of his words stung, but I bit back my reaction and moved off him towy the passenger seat, my face burning with suppressed anger. The window rolled down just as I settled in,
ZeldaAs the door shut, James exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His body was tense, his fists clenched at his sides.James stood motionless, staring at the door, his jaw clenched so tightly that I thought he might break.Mr Ferguson was the first to speak, his voice firm but not unkind.“James, I know you’re angry, but she’s still your mother.”James let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Still my mother?” His voice wavered. “What kind of mother does this to her child? What kind of mother lets him suffer for years and then—then when the truth comes out, she refuses to even acknowledge it?”His father sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “She’s scared, James. Scared of losing everything she’s built, scared of what the truth means.”James turned on him, pained.“And what about me? Does she care how scared I was? How much I lost? How I spent years believing I was the mistake, that everything that went wrong was somehow my fault?”Helen’s voice trembled from the doorw
ZeldaI sit on the edge of the bed, staring at the divorce papers I had once been so ready to sign. My hands rest over my stomach, where our child—my child—grows.I told myself I wouldn't cry over James Ferguson again. But here I am, my heart still aching in ways I wish it wouldn't.He had always been my saviour. When I was just a scared thirteen-year-old girl, lost and alone, James had taken me in. I admired him, idolized him. But then admiration turned into something else. Love. The kind that consumed me, that I could never shake off, no matter how hard I tried.But James had never seen me that way.First, it was Susan Wenger... I watched as he gave everything to Susan, how he smiled at her the way I had always wished he would look at me. And when Susan was gone, I thought—maybe—just maybe, James would see me.But then came Luoxing.And that had been the final proof I needed to know the truth. I was never going to be James's first choice.That was why I decided to leave. I refused t
JamesThe Bai estate was as grand as ever, standing as a symbol of power, wealth, and the history that bound our families together.Or so I thought.I stepped inside without hesitation. No one stopped me. They never would. For years, I had been welcomed here like a son.I had thought I was.But tonight, the weight of betrayal clung to me like a second skin, suffocating, inescapable and true.As I entered the main hall, I found them all gathered—Mr. Bai, Mrs. Bai, and their daughter, Bai Luoxing.The moment they saw me, Luoxing was the first to react. She stood up, her eyes filled with something between relief and hesitation."James!"I lifted a hand to my head, stopping her in her tracks.She hesitated, then slowly sat back down, casting a quick glance toward her mother.Mrs Bai, ever composed, sat calmly at the head of the table, an air of relaxed control around her. She didn’t look surprised to see me.She probably didn’t know that I knew everything.Mr. Bai, on the other hand, was
JamesA slow, numbing realization crept over me, drowning out everything else.The Bai family hadn’t just manipulated me.They had shaped my entire life."They couldn’t just bring Luoxing back," Dom continued, his voice low. "Not when the whole world was looking for her. Not when they hadn't gotten anything from their attempt. So they kept her hidden, cared for her, made sure no one found her."I barely heard him. My mind was already racing ahead, connecting pieces I had never thought to question before."But the Ferguson family—" My voice caught. "We never stopped searching for her.""And that’s exactly what they wanted."I snapped my gaze to him."Think about it, James." Dom leaned forward, the dim light casting sharp shadows on his face."Your parents. Your grandmother. You. You were all drowning in guilt, haunted by the loss of a little girl you thought you failed to protect. You clung to Madame Bai and saw her as a second mother because she was grieving too. She played her role p
JamesThe air in the car was filled with tension, Zelda's rigid posture and clenched phone screaming her silent fury at me. I deserved it—every bit of her anger, every cold shoulder. But damn if it didn't carve a hollow ache in my chest.Then my phone buzzed, slicing through the suffocating quiet.I answered, and within seconds, the tension in my shoulders eased."We found Dom."The words sent a rush of grim satisfaction through me. Finally. After all the hunting, all the dead ends—we had him.My grip tightened on the phone. "Alive?""Barely. He's talking."Good.I glanced at Zelda, still stubbornly turned away from me, her reflection faint in the window. This changed everything. With Dom's testimony, the Bai family's carefully constructed lies would crumble.But first—"Keep him secure. I'll be there soon."Hanging up, I studied Zelda's profile. She thought this was about the divorce. About me stalling.She had no idea the storm that was coming.And for once, I'd be the one to shield
JamesMadam Bai’s fingers combed through Bai Luoxing’s hair with practised tenderness, her voice saccharine."Don’t cry. Mom knows your heart is too soft—you would have stopped me if you knew."Then she lifted her chin, her blind eyes fixed in my direction with eerie precision."James, I only helped your wife leave because she wanted to. I didn’t want you two to become bitter enemies. You may not understand my intentions, but the truth is, this all started with her desire to run. Luoxing is innocent."Innocent.The word tasted like ash."So sending men to hunt her down—was that also a favour?" My voice was lethally quiet.Madam Bai’s wrinkled face twisted in feigned confusion."Hunt her? James, I only sent people to find her after she disappeared! For her safety! And my nephew—where is Dom? Did you see him?"Zelda stiffened beside me. I could almost hear the furious drum of her heartbeat.I stared at the woman who had once been like a second mother to me.Even now, faced with the trut
JamesMy lashes lowered, hiding the smug satisfaction in my gaze as I buried my face against her again. Good. She didn’t push me away this time.Then— Thump.Something struck the side of my face.I froze.Before I could process it, another hit—this time square on the bridge of my nose. Not painful, but sharp, like a tiny jolt of electricity.My head snapped up, eyes wide."Was that… Littleton?"Zelda’s lips curled, amusement flickering in her gaze before she pressed them flat again."Littleton’s here to teach you some manners," she said dryly.Of course, it was Littleton.Even in the womb, my kid couldn’t stand watching their shameless father grovelling like this and decided to intervene.A stunned laugh caught in my throat.I stared at the slight swell of her belly, then slowly raised my hand, pressing my fingers where I’d been kicked. The impact had been soft, muted by layers of flesh and fluid, but it sent a current straight through my chest.My heart hammered—not from fever, but s
JamesThe pain in my chest was sharp, unrelenting, as I watched her smile—so effortless, so free. As if I meant nothing.If it were up to me, I’d never let her go.Especially not now, with those men hovering around her like vultures, waiting for their chance. But I couldn’t do anything. Not anymore.I didn’t dare to force her, didn’t dare to manipulate things behind her back like I used to. One wrong move, and she’d slip even further from my grasp.And then there was Dom. Until he was dealt with, she wasn’t safe here."Don’t worry," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "I’ll fulfil your wish this time. Consider it… compensation for the wedding."That damned wedding. My fault. All of it.Maybe ending this marriage was the only way to truly start over. She looked at me then, her eyes searching mine, and for the first time, she saw it—my resolve. No tricks, no games. This was real.Her lashes fluttered, her grip on my collar loosening as she whispered,"So after we land…
ZeldaOf course I couldn't bear it.I never wanted to compete with Bai Luoxing for anything. She was the one who forced her way into my marriage. Even then, I retreated—step by step, until I'd put an ocean between us.Yet the Bai family still wouldn't let me go. They wanted me dead. How vicious could they be?But Leiy hadn't said much earlier. Even I was only guessing. Did James... already know it was them?My eyes widened in shock. "You knew? Bai Luoxing helped me leave the country, and the Bai family has been hunting me since I landed—"His face darkened at the mention of my escape. "How else do you think I found you?"I pressed my lips together, then let out a cold laugh."Well, color me surprised. I thought even if I accused the Bai family, you'd assume I was just smearing their name out of spite."The pain that flashed across his face was sharp enough to almost make me regret my words. Almost.His chest heaved, and before I could react, his hand shot out, gripping the back of my