Alaric turned to look at Elowen, who was being helped over by a nurse. He felt a bit exasperated - why did it seem like Elowen had been clinging to him more and more lately? Didn't she dislike him?"Are you leaving, Alaric?" Elowen asked, limping towards him.Alaric nodded. "Did you get the results? How is it?"Elowen smiled. "Nothing serious. Just a sprain. The doctor said I'll be fine after a few days of rest. Thanks for bringing me to the hospital.""No problem, it's the least I could do." Alaric seemed distracted. He really didn't want to keep talking with Elowen. He felt uneasy and exhausted, not wanting to keep up this charade. The guilt was making him anxious."Alaric, what's wrong?" Elowen asked, noticing his spaced-out expression.Alaric snapped back to reality and shook his head. "It's nothing. I should get going."Elowen grabbed his arm, looking down. "Could you take me home? It's not easy for me to manage alone like this."Alaric glanced at his watch, hesitating. He was to
Vespera frowned as she watched Quinn saunter around her living room like he owned the place. "Quinn, how did you find out where I live?"Quinn flashed a sly grin. "I went to your family house. Yvonne told me."Vespera's eyes darkened. Why would Yvonne willingly give Quinn her address? She was definitely up to no good. "If you don't have any business here, you should leave. I'm busy.""Come on, V," Quinn said with a simpering smile. "Remember what I asked you last time? About hooking me up with Alaric?""I—""You can't say you don't have any pull with him anymore," Quinn interrupted, stepping closer. "Word on the street is that Alaric absolutely adores you. Just help a guy out, will you?"Vespera stepped back, irritated. She opened the door. "Please leave. I already told you I can't help with this.""V!" Quinn grabbed her arm. "Just this once! I promise I'll never bother you again!""No!" Vespera said firmly."Have you forgotten how good I was to you back in the day?" Quinn pressed.Be
Alaric shook his head with a bitter laugh. How could he even begin to explain this? He, the golden boy of the formidable Strider family, had been cheated on by a girl who wasn't even out of college yet?After all his devoted care and attention, he still couldn't measure up to her childhood sweetheart? Even though that guy was married now, Vespera couldn't let him go? The very thought was too humiliating for Alaric to voice aloud.Staying silent, Alaric threw back drink after drink until he was thoroughly sloshed. His tongue loosened by the alcohol, he muttered, "Vespera's just... taking advantage 'cause she knows I... love her. If it was any other girl, I wouldn't give 'em the time of day!"Lysander sighed. "Dude, that's exactly what you said about Elowen before."Alaric smashed a bottle on the ground, cursing. "That loser! What's his name again? I swear I'll beat him to a pulp!"As Alaric rolled up his sleeves and made to storm out, Lysander grabbed him and tossed him back onto the c
Alaric tossed his jacket onto the couch and headed upstairs to crash. After a grueling, fifteen-hour flight, he was beyond exhausted and just needed sleep.When he finally woke up, he jolted at the sight of a figure sitting by his bed. Clutching his chest, he groaned, “Mom! What are you doing in my room?”“Who’s Vespera Thornfield?” Mrs. Strider grinned mischievously as she turned on the light. “Got yourself a girlfriend and didn’t tell me, huh?”Rubbing his head, Alaric sat up, eyeing his mom's nosy expression. “How do you even know about Vespera?”Mrs. Strider batted her eyes innocently. “I called Zane. He told me everything.”Alaric was speechless. His brother really couldn’t keep his mouth shut, could he?Mrs. Strider, looking far too pleased, leaned in. “So, you finally stopped pining over Elowen? Now, tell me, who’s this Vespera? Got any pictures? Let me see!”Alaric got out of bed, heading downstairs in his slippers with a scowl. “We broke up,” he muttered.“You broke up?” Mrs.
"Lysander, could you take a look? This lady's twisted her ankle and it's really hurting her," Vespera said."I see. Let me help her in for an examination. Wait out here, okay?" Lysander took Mrs. Strider's arm, leaving Vespera outside the exam room.As soon as the door closed, Lysander's face fell. He looked at Mrs. Strider with exasperation. "Mrs. Strider! What are you doing here? Isn't Alaric back in England? Does he know you're here?"Mrs. Strider grinned smugly, giving Lysander a wink. "So, how was my act? Pretty convincing, right?"Lysander stared at her. "... You were faking?"Mrs. Strider beamed. "I told you! If I hadn't gotten married, I'd be an Oscar-winning actress for sure!"Lysander: "..."Mrs. Strider rambled on, "Now, Lysander dear, write me up a medical note. Make it sound serious – you know, the kind that needs round-the-clock care!"Lysander rubbed his temples. "Why are you really here in the capital, Mrs. Strider?"Mrs. Strider blinked. "Isn't it obvious? I'm trying
Heath was hesitant to let Mrs. Strider meet Aurora so soon. He didn't want to scare the poor girl off. Besides, he and Aurora were in the middle of a little cold war. She was giving him the silent treatment, and he wasn't exactly trying to win her over either. They could barely exchange two words.After meeting with Aurora, Vespera and she decided to name their brand "Aurora & Vespera." Aurora planned to use this name when discussing their partnership with Heath, hoping it might thaw things between them a bit.Aurora worked fast. Within days, she had smoothed things over with Heath and secured both production lines and retail space from Alaric. They were already setting up the Aurora & Vespera counter in the Strider mall. Aurora quickly announced the official launch of the Aurora & Vespera brand, with Vespera as lead designer and CEO. The news spread like wildfire, catapulting Vespera's profile even higher. Her face was plastered all over the media.The comments section was flooded wi
Mrs. Strider sneered, "Elowen, you might be blind to it, but I see right through you. We're both women here – who can't spot a two-faced little angel when they see one? My son was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Why should he be anyone's backup plan?"Elowen's face turned pale at Mrs. Strider's mockery. She lowered her head, not daring to speak. Mrs. Strider was her elder, after all, and the lady of the Strider family – someone Elowen couldn't afford to offend. Unfortunately, Mrs. Strider had an aggressive personality, leaving Elowen speechless.Having said her piece, Mrs. Strider turned and went back to the warehouse to find Vespera. Feeling humiliated, Elowen could only slink away.As Mrs. Strider entered the warehouse, Vespera asked, "Mrs. Strider, where did you go? I've been looking everywhere for you. I thought you'd left!"Mrs. Strider immediately put on a friendly smile. "I didn't leave, just wandering around."Vespera finished packing up and said, "I'm pretty much done
Mrs. Strider was fuming, her head pounding with frustration. She grabbed Zane and demanded, "Why did your brother and Vespera break up? Didn't you try to find out?"Zane shrugged. "Isn't it obvious? Vespera thinks Alaric's still hung up on Elowen, and he thinks Vespera's not over Quinn. Classic misunderstanding, just like in those cheesy TV dramas.""Go investigate properly!" Mrs. Strider snapped. "Has Elowen been stirring up trouble again?"Zane stood up, grinning. "Mom, I'm impressed you know what 'stirring up trouble' means.""Just go!" Mrs. Strider roared."On it, on it!" Zane bolted out the door.Back in his room, Alaric flopped onto his bed, mulling over what Vespera and his mom had said earlier. It seemed everyone thought their breakup was because he couldn't let go of Elowen.But Alaric knew in his heart that Vespera was the one he loved, not Elowen. Why did everyone think otherwise?Sure, he and Vespera hadn't been together long, but she was an amazing girl. She wouldn't accu
The next morning, Vespera was woken up at dawn, barely getting a few hours of sleep. Known as a dedicated designer, she was usually the first one awake, but today she could barely keep her eyes open. As the stylist worked on her hair and makeup, Vespera sat half-dazed, drifting in and out, completely unaware of the hands tugging her in all directions.Two hours later, with her hair and makeup done, Vespera finally slipped into her wedding dress. The reality hit her, and for the first time, she fully realized she was about to get married.Memories flooded back, particularly that first encounter with Alaric. He’d been sprawled on the steps outside, a bit too tipsy, looking up with half-closed eyes, asking, “What’s wrong with me?” Vespera, surprising even herself, had replied, “Nothing at all.”Back then, he was just a bright, headstrong young man, carrying so many dreams and frustrations. Somewhere along the way, he’d grown into this strong, grounded man. And somehow, after everything,
It wasn’t until a few days after their engagement that it even crossed Vespera’s mind to ask about the villa.Alaric confirmed he’d bought it, explaining that he’d thought she might like it and decided to go for it. As for renovations, he wanted to wait until she officially agreed to everything; after all, they’d eventually need their own place—living with Zane forever wasn’t exactly an option.By now, the news of Alaric and Vespera’s engagement had spread everywhere. Alaric was practically ready to announce it to the world on social media, but thankfully, Aurora stepped in, suggesting he keep things low-key since he was the company CEO. Plus, Vespera wasn’t exactly a fan of the public spotlight.Alaric reluctantly held back but couldn’t resist dropping hints in his friend group chat every other day. Heath and the rest were used to it by now—except Lysander, who constantly complained that he was drowning in a sea of "lovey-dovey vibes," being the lone single guy among them.When Auror
The next morning, Alaric woke up, remembering last night’s events. He pinched himself—no, it wasn’t a dream. Vespera had actually said yes.He jumped out of bed, showered, changed, and even straightened his tie before driving to her studio. There she was, focused on work, wearing a stylish dress and light makeup, looking absolutely radiant.When he walked in, Vespera looked up, surprised. “Finally awake?” she asked with a smirk.Alaric simply nodded, taking her hand without a word and leading her downstairs. She stumbled after him, asking, “Where are we going?”Alaric gently nudged her into his car, driving her toward a villa. Vespera was clueless and a bit shocked, glancing around, unsure of what was happening.They finally arrived at a beautiful villa. Alaric opened the door, and she asked, “Did you just buy this?”&n
The next morning, Alaric was finally over his fever. When Vespera woke up, he was already waiting in the living room. After breakfast, they both headed to their respective offices.Aurora’s team reported they’d successfully returned to the Whitmore family’s estate. For her, that had been a fierce battle. For Vespera, however, the real challenge lay ahead: the design competition.Ever since her last conversation with Yvonne, where Yvonne had hinted that everything she had was due to Aurora and Alaric’s support, Vespera had been determined to prove herself. She wanted to be worthy of Alaric and was pouring all her energy into this competition.After submitting her designs, Vespera anxiously waited at home for results. When the winners were finally announced online, she saw her name in second place. The relief and pride were overwhelming. She had finally achieved something worth sharing with Alaric. Now, with the award ceremony in the UK, she had no choice but to let him know.Expecting
Vespera had reclaimed her brand, and Alaric seemed to be maturing by the day, treating her like she was his entire world. Everything seemed to be falling into place.After that showdown in Alaric’s office with Elowen, she hadn’t shown her face again. Vespera figured it was over, that Elowen had finally given up. Everyone else thought the same.But on the day they took graduation photos, Aurora disappeared. Heath and Alaric eventually tracked her down — Elowen had taken her. Vespera was frantic, blaming herself for not protecting Aurora better.Heath and Alaric couldn’t stop Aurora’s flight at the airport, so they booked tickets to the UK to get her back. Vespera had too much to handle here to join them, so she only saw Alaric off at the airport.He held her close, whispering, “Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon, and Aurora will be safe.”Vespera hugged him back tightly. She trusted him. Alaric and Heath would get this done — Elowen had crossed a line that couldn’t be ignored, and she knew
This past week, Aurora had been tirelessly setting up to counter Evelyn and her allies, Yvonne and Elowen. Meanwhile, Alaric, working alongside Aurora to reclaim Elowen’s brand.A week later, the press conference went ahead as planned. Alaric helped Vespera pick an outfit, stayed until she’d finished her makeup, and then drove her to the venue himself.The conference, led by Evelyn, was a disaster for her team. They failed to take over Aurora’s company, couldn’t drive her out of the Pendleton family, and made no progress in placing Yvonne and Elowen as CEO and head designer. Their plans had backfired entirely.Leaving the venue, Yvonne, clearly shaken, stepped in front of a car without looking and was hit, blood pooling around her. Vespera, stunned and dizzy at the sight, would have collapsed if Alaric hadn’t steadied her.Frantically, Vespera fumbled with her phone to call home, stammering, “It’s Yvonne… she’s bleeding so much…”As someone unaccustomed to such violence, Vespera was t
Alaric looked at Vespera with an innocent expression and said, “It’s not what you think. I’m not a creep.”“Not a creep?” Vespera glared at him. “Then what were you doing in my room?”Alaric almost groaned. “If I told you I was here to give you a massage, would you believe me?”“Total creep!” she shouted. “Sneaking into my bed while I was asleep!”Alaric shot back, “I did not! When I woke up, you were the one curled up on me!”Vespera paused, recalling the moment she woke up. Okay, maybe she had been cozying up to him. Wait a second—was he implying she was the one acting out of line?Seeing her hesitation, Alaric grinned smugly. “See? You were just as comfortable with it!”“Get out!” Vespera yelled.Alaric left the room, trying not to smile too much. Sure, nothing happened, but just getting to hold her felt amazing. Although… his shoulder was sore from her leaning on him all night, so he headed back to his room to grab a few more hours of sleep.Vespera, alone in her room, listened as
Vespera walked ahead, casual and carefree in a T-shirt and shorts, no makeup, and even bare of high heels, while Alaric trailed close behind with a jacket in hand, grinning like a fool. Everyone in the lobby couldn’t help but notice—their usually composed CEO was tagging along, practically beaming.Catching up to her, Alaric draped his jacket over her shoulders. “How could you leave without dressing warmer? You’ll end up with a stomach ache tonight,” he said, his voice soft with affection.Vespera felt a warm flutter in her chest but stayed quiet, letting his jacket settle around her as they walked out. Alaric was thrilled she hadn’t brushed him off; emboldened, he slipped his hand into hers, wrapping her cold fingers in his.For a moment, she stiffened, then relaxed, letting her hand nestle securely in his. Together, they headed to the parking lot, Alaric practically floating with joy. This felt better than winning the lottery!Bringing her home, Alaric felt out of his depth—things h
Alaric stood in his office, with Elowen right in front of him, her hand tugging at his tie, a faint smirk hidden beneath her slightly indignant expression.Seeing the scene, Vespera nearly turned around and left right then and there. But she reminded herself of her purpose for coming today. She was done hiding from Elowen. Even if Alaric wasn’t hers in the end, she’d be damned if he ended up with someone like Elowen.So Vespera strode into the office, fixed her gaze on them, and asked, “What’s going on here?”At the sound of her voice, Alaric spun around, fumbling to free his tie from Elowen’s grip. But Elowen held tight, glancing over at Vespera with a slight smile. “Miss Thornfield? You’re here?”Vespera closed the door behind her, gave a slight nod, and asked again, “What exactly is this about?”Elowen smirked. “Oh, it’s nothing. I just wanted to ask Alaric if I could borrow a few people to help promote my new fashion line. Not sure if he’s on board with it, though.”“Not a chance,