The world is full of surprises. Just a short while ago, Seraphina Arden had been lamenting her struggles to find a husband. Now, out of nowhere, a rotten and unwelcome romantic entanglement had popped up, one she wanted to escape as quickly as possible.That evening, while Elijah hadn’t yet returned home, Seraphina debated whether to tell her mother about what had been going on. She wanted to vent but feared it would only make her parents worry.Out of the blue, Chloe said, "Ethan’s wedding is off. He gave the apartment they were supposed to live in to the bride’s family. Dean, our upstairs neighbor, put their place up for sale, and Ethan bought it. He came by earlier today to check on the apartment. At lunchtime, I ran into him and asked if he’d eaten. When he said no, I made him a hamburger."Seraphina stopped mid-bite, staring at her mother, the apple in her hand forgotten.Chloe continued, "He mentioned wanting to renovate the place and asked me if I had any suggestions. He said h
Sebastian was known for his clean reputation. As a bureau chief, he hadn’t achieved any major accolades, nor had he made any grave mistakes. His tenure was a smooth ride.What Ethan never expected, however, was to be simultaneously targeted by both the Henry family and Olivia.The Henry family’s grudge against Ethan stemmed from an earlier incident. Back then, they had schemed to use Harper to seduce Ethan. When Ethan uncovered their ploy, Sebastian was livid and launched a thorough investigation into all of the Henry family’s construction sites. Several of their rush projects were found to have safety hazards and were forced to halt for months of rectification.The two-month shutdown caused catastrophic financial losses for the Henry family, who had since nursed a deep hatred for both Ethan and Sebastian.Attempts to bribe or seduce the father and son had failed. So, the Henry family decided to shift their focus to people around Ethan. That’s when they identified his fiancée, Via.Wh
When Seraphina Arden began college, it was supposed to be Elijah who took her, but Ethan had volunteered enthusiastically to do it instead.That day, Ethan was full of energy, helping Seraphina pack her belongings at home. When they were about to leave, Seraphina insisted on bringing her plush clownfish, Nemo. Ethan couldn’t help but tease her: “You’re going to college now. Don’t you think it’s childish to still cling to this thing?”Seraphina replied earnestly, “Hugging it helps me fall asleep faster.”The plush toy was a gift from Ethan when Seraphina got into high school.Ethan sighed, giving in to her whims as always. Seraphina walked ahead, hugging Nemo, while Ethan followed behind, dragging her suitcase.After settling Seraphina into her dorm, Ethan breathed a long sigh of relief. He returned to the apartment he shared with Via, flopped onto the bed, and felt an overwhelming sense of peace.Lying there with a gentle breeze flowing in from the window, Ethan felt lighter than ever
Ethan left Seraphina Arden’s house with his head hanging low, a heavy weight pressing on his chest. It was then he truly realized—he loved that slow, clumsy girl, the one who always walked two steps ahead of him, pulling him into her world of eating, laughing, and playing. She wasn’t as beautiful as Via, nor was she as outstanding.But after ten years of companionship, she had become an inseparable part of his life.Whenever Ethan thought of Seraphina, his heart ached. He had secretly visited her university just to see her. She had lost weight, grown prettier, and yet still carried that same sunny, carefree smile. Her life seemed untouched by his absence.Meanwhile, Via was a wonderful girl—beautiful, graceful, and gentle. Their relationship had started with passion and settled into a calm, steady routine.Once Ethan confronted his feelings, though, he couldn’t break up with Via. He had promised to marry her. When she clung to his neck, looking at him with such hopeful eyes, whisperin
How many broken mirrors in this world can truly be put back together?Ten years of companionship, discarded in a single moment—Ethan might now be “waking up,” but Seraphina Arden had spent years tearing herself down, enduring pain, and painstakingly rebuilding herself.She’d struggled with self-doubt for so long. She was overweight, slow, and not nearly as beautiful or clever as Via. Seraphina understood that the world was full of men who valued appearances above all else. It wasn’t Ethan’s fault that he had never loved her.Faced with someone like Via—beautiful, brilliant, and charismatic—who wouldn’t make the same choice?Even now, Seraphina still felt a pang of bitterness. The memories of her time with Ethan were sweet but painful, like a distant dream. A dream where, for a fleeting moment, she had felt cherished.Over time, though, she had come to a realization: what she missed was not Ethan, but the feeling of being loved. It could have been anyone.Now that Ethan had suddenly re
At the bidding venue for the land parcel, Seraphina Arden was visibly tense.Leon Everhart glanced at her and offered a rare moment of comfort: “Relax. It’s fine if we don’t win. No big deal.”But for Seraphina, it was a big deal. She had been terrified that her negligence might have leaked sensitive company information. If anything went wrong, she wouldn’t be able to repay the loss even if she sold everything she owned. How could she not be nervous?Leon watched her tightly-wound demeanor but didn’t say much else.When TerraVantage Group successfully won the bid, Seraphina finally let out a long, relieved sigh, slumping into her chair like a deflated balloon.She stole a glance at Leon Everhart. He was his usual, aloof self, casting her a sidelong glance that seemed to say, “Look at you—such a greenhorn.”On the drive back, Seraphina felt like a massive weight had been lifted.But then Leon broke the silence, asking casually, “You were so worried—was it because of Olivia or Harper?”
One day, while Seraphina Arden was eating in the company cafeteria, Olivia walked over with her tray and sat down directly across from her. With a sharp tone, she said, “Seraphina, I want to ask you about someone—Ethan. You know him, don’t you? You have his number, right?”The way Olivia phrased it sounded more like a demand than a question.Seraphina, keeping her composure, appeared a little dazed. But her mind was racing as she carefully analyzed the relationships and possible motives behind Olivia’s question.Olivia grew impatient. Slamming her tray down, she raised her voice. “Seraphina Arden, are you deaf? I asked you a question!”Despite Leon Everhart’s repeated warnings to Olivia to keep a low profile and not flaunt her connection to the Everhart family at work, she simply couldn’t help herself when it came to Seraphina Arden.Seraphina’s slow and deliberate demeanor only irritated Olivia further, making her temper flare.Finally, Seraphina replied calmly, “Sit down. I’ll expla
Harper was currently unemployed and semi-living with Leon Everhart, spending two to three nights a week at his place. Since they weren’t married yet, the Henry family reminded her to remain “reserved.”But Harper’s idle lifestyle didn’t sit well with Olivia. She figured if Harper wasn’t making money, she could at least help her by finding new men—and pocketing a bigger cut for herself.Olivia’s social circle in the country was relatively small. After scouting around the company, she set her sights on Noah. Handsome and charming, Noah seemed like a good candidate. But before Olivia could make her move, she noticed he was getting close to Babi.Babi worked in the pre-budgeting department, one of the most crucial roles for accessing engineering data, second only to Leon Everhart and Seraphina Arden.One day, Babi showed up to work with freshly styled hair and light makeup. During lunch, Olivia sat across from her and started laying the groundwork.“Hey, gorgeous, what department are you i
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