When Seraphina Arden visited the budget department to meet with James, a former colleague exclaimed, “Wow, Seraphina, you’ve lost so much weight!”Seraphina beamed. “Really?”The colleague grabbed her hand, inspecting her face closely. “Your face is so much slimmer! What’s your secret?”Seraphina sighed dramatically. “My mom makes me drink this ‘seven-day slimming soup’ every night. I thought it was just for a week, but she’s been making it every single day! And she doesn’t let me eat dinner either. The other night, I got so hungry that I raided the fridge in the middle of the night. My dad caught me and only gave me one measly egg! I swear, I’m going to starve to death at this rate. Tonight, I’m eating before I go home.”The group burst into laughter.Babi, sitting nearby, watched Seraphina with a small smile. Seraphina noticed her and went over to hug her. “Babi, let’s grab some late-night snacks tonight, okay?”Babi shook her head, still smiling. “Can’t tonight—I have plans.”Serap
Leon Everhart’s gaze toward Seraphina Arden had softened significantly. With Ava gone, at least Seraphina was still by his side.Seraphina had lost a noticeable amount of weight and looked much better now. However, despite her physical transformation, she maintained a strictly professional relationship with him. She adhered to boundaries and treated everything with a businesslike approach.Leon’s subtle gestures of warmth and hints of intimacy fell flat. Seraphina either didn’t notice or intentionally ignored them.One night, after Leon had a bit too much to drink, he asked Seraphina to help him upstairs. She refused outright. “Mr. Everhart, you’re too tall and heavy. I can’t carry you. Hold on, I’ll call security to help.”Leon was left speechless. A direct confession would certainly result in rejection. She’d made her standards clear before—her husband must have eyes and a heart for only her. If he were unfaithful, she’d “find a thousand ways to destroy him.” Just thinking about it
Ethan’s father, Sebastian, was the head of the city’s Urban Development Bureau, and Seraphina Arden’s father, Elijah, was his chauffeur.When Ethan was eleven, his mother passed away after a prolonged illness. His grandparents were elderly and frail, and Sebastian, overwhelmed by his responsibilities, hired housekeepers, but none could truly take care of Ethan.Ethan, a proud and reserved boy, didn’t like being around others. He often sat alone in his father’s office, waiting late into the evening for Sebastian to finish work.One day, Elijah suggested to Sebastian: “Mr. Sebastian, why don’t you let Ethan come to my house after school? My wife Chloe cooks very well, and my daughter Seraphina is still young. They can keep each other company.”Sebastian looked at his scrawny son, barely holding it together, and asked gently: “Would you like to go to Uncle Elijah’s house after school? Daddy will pick you up later.”Initially, Ethan was reluctant. But after Elijah coaxed and cajoled him,
When Seraphina Arden got accepted into college, Elijah and Chloe couldn’t contain their joy. They were so thankful to Ethan for helping their daughter that they wanted to give him anything they could find at home as a token of appreciation. Elijah even went out of his way to find unique and thoughtful gifts from remote places to send to Sebastian. This habit of sending gifts during holidays continued for years and never stopped.That summer was one of the happiest times for Seraphina Arden. Ethan took her and Lucas to Florida. They visited Miami, saw the ocean, and even watched a basketball game. Seraphina, standing beside Ethan and brushing shoulders with him, felt nothing but pure joy.At eighteen, Seraphina was experiencing her first feelings of love, and in her heart and mind, there was only Ethan.After Sebastian remarried, he moved out of the neighborhood, but everyone in the area still recognized Ethan. They often saw him visiting the Arden household or taking Seraphina out for
Ethan’s reappearance truly disrupted Seraphina Arden’s mood. Even the next day at work, she felt listless.Following behind Leon Everhart to a meeting, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, causing Seraphina to accidentally bump into his chest.With no one else around, Leon reached out to steady her and teased, “Seraphina, throwing yourself into my arms? I’m flattered.”Seraphina rubbed her nose, immediately stepping back a full pace. “Mr. Everhart, ever heard the saying, ‘A peacock showing off its feathers’? Don’t overestimate your charm.”Leon chuckled helplessly. “This girl used to reject me subtly, but now she’s openly sparring with me.”Knowing that Seraphina truly had no interest in him, Leon finally decided to let it go.The world loves stories about “the domineering CEO falling in love with me,” but Leon Everhart, despite being a successful boss worth billions, was constantly met with rejection.Back in college, he had dated a girl from Texas. She was from an ordinary family, pet
When Seraphina Arden got home, her parents were still awake, watching TV, clearly waiting for her. Seeing her carry in a takeout box of beef noodles and grilled sausages, they immediately smiled and crowded around. They shared the food, each taking half of the noodles since it was too late at night to eat much.Being loved truly gave Seraphina an indomitable spirit. After just one meal, her energy was fully restored, and she was back at work the next day, brimming with vigor.However, Seraphina couldn’t help feeling like her relationship with Daniel wasn’t going anywhere. He was always busy, leaving little time for dates. His affection felt lukewarm, lacking passion or spark. Seraphina figured this arranged romance from their blind date had an 80-90% chance of fizzling out.As for Ethan, Seraphina had spent years trying to forget him. She remembered his kindness and acknowledged that, as he said, he did like her—but only as a sister, not as a lover.It was all in her head, she realize
At the mall’s chain styling studio, when it came time to choose a hairstyle, Seraphina Arden asked Olivia for her opinion.Olivia shrugged nonchalantly. “Whatever you say, Seraphina. It’s all up to you.”Seraphina’s father, as a driver for his boss, had mastered the art of dealing with authority. The Arden family, despite their seemingly naive and cheerful demeanor, were astute and pragmatic—skills honed for survival at the bottom rung of the ladder.So Seraphina wasn’t about to make any decisions for Olivia. She turned to the hairstylist and said, “Handsome, my friend here is starting work at a company next week. Could you suggest a hairstyle that suits her face and looks professional enough to avoid any complaints from her boss or colleagues?”As the stylist consulted with Olivia, Seraphina maintained a polite distance, not too far but not overly close either.When Olivia finalized her choice, Seraphina found herself a chair for a wash and massage. After all, she could use a little
Ethan carried Seraphina Arden’s shopping bags, walking a step or two behind her—just as he used to many years ago. They moved slowly, unhurried, their pace almost nostalgic.Seraphina didn’t dare look back. Even though so many years had passed, even though they had walked far along separate paths, walking side by side like this again felt like a luxury. Her chest felt tight, her eyes warm with unshed tears. She worried that if she blinked, they would spill over.Ethan’s voice broke the silence, soft and familiar. “Why so many bags?”Seraphina answered in a quiet voice, “They’re not mine. They’re for my boss’s sister. She’s back from overseas and wants a makeover. I was just tagging along.”After a long pause, Ethan said, “You’ve always had an easy tendency to gain weight. But you look good just as you are now. Don’t skip meals—it’s bad for your health. If you want to slim down a bit, try exercising to tone up. Don’t starve yourself.”It took Seraphina a while to respond. “Okay.” Her v
Leon’s StoryWhen his eldest daughter was born, Leon Everhart would rush home every day after work and sit by the cradle, staring at his tiny child for a long time.His daughter looked like him, and Mrs. Everhart said, “A daughter who resembles her father will always have food to eat and never worry about her livelihood.”Leon Everhart chuckled, “Then I must work even harder to ensure my little girl never has to worry about food or clothing for the rest of her life.”With just a wife and a daughter, a man who once stood above all others could be pulled into the mortal world, touched by the warmth of ordinary life.When his daughter was just learning to crawl, she could only move a few steps before crying out in frustration. One evening, as soon as Leon Everhart stepped through the door, still in his black dress pants and white shirt, he heard her cries and felt his heart ache.He immediately rushed to her side, lay down on the floor, and said, “Baby, look at Daddy. Crawl like Daddy.”
That night, Liam had a few drinks and decided to stay at the Everhart family’s old mansion.On the first floor, his nieces and nephews were running around, their parents chasing after them tirelessly.Old Mr. Everhart always said, “When children are noisy at home, it means our family is thriving. It’s much better than hearing the sound of mahjong tiles all night.”Liam never called Harper “sister-in-law.”There was something Liam had never told anyone.He lived on the third floor, and one day, when he was coming downstairs, he ran into Harper. She smiled at him and called out in a soft, sweet voice, “Liam, wait for me.”Liam was no fool. He had been through countless encounters with women and had never been caught off guard. What kind of woman hadn’t he seen?The way Harper called him immediately set off alarm bells. His first instinct was that she was trying to seduce him, but he couldn’t quite believe it—after all, she had just married his brother, and on top of that, she was pregna
Harper’s brother brought her back home. As soon as she entered her room, she collapsed into bed and slept.When she woke up the next afternoon, Harper was still in a daze. She let her mother take her to get her hair done, go to the spa, and get a manicure. She moved like a puppet, allowing her mother to maneuver her as she pleased.These used to be part of her daily routine, but it had been a long time since she last enjoyed such luxuries.Ever since Lucas lost his job, Harper didn’t dare spend money recklessly. Once, she got a manicure that cost $480. When she returned home, Lucas’s mother nearly ripped her apart, acting as if every penny Harper spent belonged to Lucas—or rather, to her.When Miliya brought people to beat up Lucas’s parents and Lucas himself, Harper was the only one left untouched.Lucas’s parents blamed everything on Harper. They insisted that if she hadn’t seduced Lucas, he wouldn’t have ended up in such a miserable state.Harper snapped back, “He came to me on his
When Seraphina Arden said, "I owe you nothing in this life, and I hope we never meet in the next," Ethan knew that there was no way to salvage their relationship.Ethan was born with good looks and intelligence. His maternal grandfather’s family was well-off, and his mother was a beautiful and refined woman.His mother once told him that she had pursued Sebastian—she had chased after his father.Because his mother loved his father deeply, she was always anxious about him. No matter where Sebastian went, she had to ask about it, and if she didn’t get a clear answer, she would sulk.Whenever Sebastian came home late, his mother would pick fights and argue.No matter how exhausted he was, Sebastian would always lower his voice to coax his delicate wife and make her happy.His mother was fragile. Even with a housekeeper managing the home, and even after having Ethan, she paid little attention to him. Most of her time was devoted to her husband, as if she had been born solely for Sebastian
Leon Everhart and Seraphina Arden’s wedding took place as scheduled. However, Leon Everhart did not grant Seraphina Arden’s wish to keep it simple.In this city, Leon Everhart had some money, but there were many people wealthier and more powerful than him. Compared to them, he was far from being a true second-generation heir. He positioned himself as a self-made entrepreneur, the second generation of a growing business.The Everhart family lacked deep roots, and he was not able to marry a truly influential family’s daughter. Even in the past, the wealthy Henry family had looked down on him, and Harper had treated him the same way.Choosing Seraphina Arden was seen as "marrying down" in the eyes of the Everhart family.But for Leon Everhart, it was the perfect fulfillment of his wishes.If the wedding was too casual, people would look down on Seraphina Arden. Leon Everhart wanted to give her a surprise—he didn’t want to shortchange her in any way.At one point, Everhart’s mother had tr
Olivia was now at her wit’s end, isolated and helpless.In her darkest times, the appearance of her biological mother, Miliya, made her feel that there was still warmth in the world, that she still had a mother. She had once been moved and had come to believe that, in this world, only a mother’s love was truly unconditional.During her postpartum confinement, Miliya took meticulous care of Olivia, tending to her and the child with great dedication.Olivia started calling Miliya “Mom.”When Olivia’s child reached one month old, there was no sign of acknowledgment from the Everhart family. Miliya found it strange and asked Olivia, “The Everhart family values bloodline and heirs. Back then, I put such a big scandal on old Mr. Everhart’s head, and he let me go for your sake. He even made me promise never to seek you out again. To ensure I wouldn’t interfere in your life, he gave me a huge sum of money. That house in the village was built with the money that old man gave me. Now that you’v
Not long after Seraphina Arden's technology company resumed operations, an unexpected visitor arrived—Jerry.Upon hearing that Seraphina Arden had started a tech company in the same field as his, Jerry was furious. Subconsciously, he believed that the reason he wasn’t making sales was because Seraphina Arden had stolen his clients.Jerry stormed into Seraphina Arden’s office, slamming his hands on her desk.Seeing Jerry’s furious face, Seraphina Arden remained exceptionally calm. She showed no sign of worry; instead, she was tranquil. “Mr. Jerry, if you have something to discuss, we can talk it out properly. This is a workplace, and I have surveillance cameras here.”Jerry was fuming. “Seraphina Arden, are you stealing my business?”He ranted continuously, repeating over and over how Seraphina Arden was ungrateful and unethical for selling patents that should have been his.Seraphina Arden didn’t respond. She simply waited for Jerry to tire himself out.Once Jerry had shouted enough,
Seraphina Arden’s tech company closed for a one-week holiday and resumed operations afterward.Before the break, her flamboyant Leon heard that she wanted to give gifts to the professors who had supported her. That evening, he returned home with boxes of presents. The gifts, prepared by TerraVantage Group, were impressive and perfectly suitable for the occasion.Having a resourceful and thoughtful partner like Leon made Seraphina’s work remarkably efficient.Seraphina cherished her job deeply, knowing how hard-earned it was. After all, it was the only condition her father had set when negotiating her marriage with the Everhart family.Yet, over Christmas, Everhart’s mother subtly suggested that she quit her job and become a housewife.At the time, Seraphina had retorted sharply, but the suggestion left a lingering discomfort.When they were alone, Seraphina shared this with her mother, asking, “Mom, what do you think Leon’s mom was thinking?”Chloe responded, “She’s spent her whole li
This Christmas, Lucas and his family didn’t return to their hometown to visit his grandmother.The household had turned into utter chaos, with no sign of peace or holiday spirit.Over the past few months, far too many things had happened—things Lucas was afraid to even think about.Olivia’s mother, Miliya, was not someone to be trifled with. When she learned that Lucas and Olivia were still married while Lucas was living with Harper, she became furious. Adding insult to injury, Lucas’s parents didn’t care about their daughter-in-law Olivia but went to care for the mistress instead. This sent Miliya into a rage.She went back home, rallied her husband and two sons, and even hired a few extra hands. Together, they stormed into Harper’s house, where Lucas and his parents were staying. Dragging Lucas and his parents out, they began to beat them in public.With the door wide open, Miliya yelled through a megaphone:“Come one, come all! Look at this shameless family! Their lawful daughter-i