As the year drew to a close, Vespera, being the good student she was, had already started her holiday break. Unable to stand staying at the Thornfield house, she found herself constantly heading to Aurora's studio or visiting Cheryl on set. Cheryl was currently filming a popular period drama called Autumn's Whispering Fan.Although Cheryl was a talented actress, she wasn't well-versed in the complexities of showbiz, which made her relationships with other celebrities on set somewhat strained. Vespera often visited her, taking the opportunity to chat during Cheryl's breaks."Ves, I heard from Zane that you've been getting pretty close to his brother lately?" Cheryl asked with a gossipy look on her face."What? No way!" Vespera's face instantly turned red as she denied it.Cheryl grinned at her. "You're still denying it? Your face is all red! Come on, spill the beans! Is there something going on?""No! Really, there isn't! Don't make things up!" Vespera waved her hands in protest. "Ever
Lysander dragged Alaric into the bar, where he was a regular. Everyone from the manager to the staff knew him. As soon as he walked in, someone called out his name across the crowd.Alaric followed, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else, with a gloomy, don’t-talk-to-me expression. Lysander greeted the manager on duty and said, "Get us a private room upstairs. I'm having a drink with Mr. Strider."“Sure thing, Doc! Right this way!” The manager led them upstairs to the quietest room, stocked with the bar's finest. For a rich kid like Lysander, splashing cash was the norm, so the whole bar rolled out the red carpet for him, even bringing in a new girl to keep him company.Lysander didn’t mind at all. No girlfriend, no one special—he was a free spirit, not envious of Heath at all! And definitely not Alaric, who was moping around like a lovesick fool. Lysander was ready to use his charm to lift his buddy’s spirits tonight.“Hey, pour the gentleman a drink,” Lysander said, nodding to th
Vespera was feeling stuck. She couldn’t get anything useful out of Alaric, and half the time she couldn’t even understand him. He was mumbling like he had a bottle cap in his mouth or something.So, she called Cheryl, asking her to check with Zane about which bar they usually hit up when they drink. Cheryl got back to her quickly, and Vespera changed and headed out into the late night, hoping to find him. If she couldn’t, she’d have to bother Aurora and Heath for help.Vespera took a cab to the bar and went straight to the front desk. “Did a tall, good-looking guy named Alaric Strider come in tonight?”The bartender looked clueless, but just then, the music took a pause, and the sounds of shouting and breaking glass came from upstairs. The bartender was about to check it out when the manager stopped him. “What do you think you’re doing? Upstairs is reserved for Mr. Strider and his friends; don’t get involved!”Hearing that, Vespera thought, "Alaric Strider?" She headed upstairs. The d
Vespera made her way to the hospital room and struggled to pull the blanket over herself as she lay in bed. Looking at her heavily bandaged hands, she let out a resigned sigh. She couldn't understand how she had ended up in this situation.Just a few days ago, she had firmly told Cheryl that she barely knew Alaric. Yet here she was, rushing to his side with just one phone call. And now, she was lying in a hospital bed, covered in injuries, while Alaric had been calling out Elowen's name.Vespera thought to herself that a man like that was simply not worth it – someone with another woman etched so deeply in his heart was nothing but trouble. Besides, she really disliked how Elowen always seemed to be at odds with Aurora.The pain in her palms kept Vespera awake until the early hours of the morning when she finally dozed off. Meanwhile, Alaric, aided by alcohol, slept soundly through the night. He only woke up when he rolled off the couch and hit the floor.Seeing Abby standing in front
Vespera watched Alaric awkwardly standing there, feeling annoyed.Alaric lifted the gift bag he was holding and said, "I got your clothes dirty yesterday, so I bought a couple of new ones to make up for it."Vespera was inexplicably irritated. She couldn't figure out what Alaric wanted. He kept trying to get close to her, creating gossip about them, but then he'd run back to Elowen, leaving Vespera hurt, only to show up later with gifts as apologies.Alaric was like a shadow—unpredictable and impossible to grasp. Vespera disliked this and didn't want to get close to someone so inconsistent.She glanced inside the bag and said, "No need to apologize, Alaric. I chose to pick you up, and my injuries are my own fault. Plus, what you bought isn’t really my style."Alaric hesitated. He wasn’t stupid; he could sense Vespera’s displeasure, almost like she was sulking. He put the bag down and asked, "What do you like? I’ll get it for you."Vespera looked at him and said, "Do you think I’m desp
Vespera watched the crowd coming and going at the entrance. Not wanting to make a scene with Alaric, she reluctantly got into the car. Alaric kept his cool on the outside, but inside he was thrilled.During the ride, Vespera stubbornly stared out the window, refusing to speak to Alaric. The atmosphere in the car was super awkward, but Alaric was determined to get her talking."How's your hand? Feeling better?" Alaric asked."Mm," Vespera grunted.Alaric glanced at her awkwardly and tried again. "Have you been changing the bandages yourself?""Mm.""Your dress looks beautiful tonight.""Mm."Alaric racked his brain. "You're not mad anymore, right?""Mm.""Great!" Alaric said excitedly.Vespera blinked, caught off guard. She quickly composed herself and went back to staring out the window in silence.At a red light, Alaric turned to face her. "I'm sorry. Please don't be angry.""Mm."Alaric sighed internally. When did girls become so hard to please? No, wait – he'd encountered this befo
Alaric felt like an idiot. He'd spotted Elowen looking bored in the crowd earlier. The only reason she'd come to this party was for Heath, but as luck would have it, Heath was out of town on business. Now Elowen had no one to focus on.Alaric knew that if he asked Elowen to dance now, she'd definitely say yes. But suddenly, he didn't want to. He was tired of always being Elowen's second choice. As Lysander had once said, even if you're a doormat, you've got to draw the line somewhere.So he ignored Elowen's gaze and turned away, only to see Vespera getting up to leave. Without hesitation, he walked over to intercept her. She was his only chance to save dignity and not look like he was running away with his tail between his legs.Alaric looked down at Vespera's smiling face and said, "I'm being ridiculous, aren't I?"Vespera paused, then shook her head. "There's nothing ridiculous about liking someone."Alaric's mood lifted instantly. He danced with Vespera, then gently held her hand a
The next morning, Alaric showed up bright and early to pick up Vespera, driving her to Lysander’s clinic where Lysander unwrapped her bandages and changed her dressings.Her once pristine hands were now crisscrossed with cuts—some scabbed over, some still fresh with traces of blood. Not a single spot on her pale palms was unscathed; the sight was shocking.While replacing the bandages, Lysander glanced up at a tense Alaric and joked, “Feeling sorry now, right?”Alaric blinked, then nodded, “Yeah, it hurts to see.”Vespera's cheeks flushed; she couldn't understand why Alaric was talking nonsense like that.But Alaric was being honest. Seeing those wounds on her hands really did hurt him.After the bandages were changed, Alaric drove Vespera back home. She thanked him politely, without much warmth or coldness—just polite enough to leave Alaric feeling powerless.From then on, Alaric was at her door every day, on time, to take her for her appointments. A week later, her stitches were rem
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,