Dear reader, thank you for reading. If you think the content is good, please give me a like. Thank you very much.
On Friday afternoon, Seraphina Arden received a call from her uncle, Eliot."Seraphina, please, save your uncle. You're the only one who can help me. Transfer some money to me, I’m begging you," his voice trembled, desperate.Her father, Elijah, had warned her about this in advance, so she was prepared. "Uncle, how much do you need?" she asked calmly."At least $2000,000," Eliot blurted out.Seraphina sucked in a sharp breath. If he was asking for $200,000 outright, the total amount of his debt was surely far worse than that.There was no way Seraphina could give him that much money—not even close. Even if she had it, handing it over to fill his bottomless pit of debt would be out of the question."Uncle," she began, "last year I bought an apartment, and I'm still paying off the mortgage. I really don’t have any extra money to spare."Eliot's voice rose in panic. "What about $100,000? You must have at least that much.""I’m sorry, Uncle," Seraphina replied firmly. "I really don’t have
Seraphina Arden sat in stunned silence for a long time after Ethan spoke. Finally, she broke the silence, her voice calm but tinged with a wistful sadness."Ethan," she began, "I really liked you so much back then. You’d only come home once a week, and I’d save all the best snacks and fun things just for you. I couldn’t even figure out those numbers in my assignments, but I didn’t want to disappoint you. So I pushed myself to learn. My parents told me to let it go, but I couldn’t bear the thought of letting you down. You were my hope, my light, the reason I kept moving forward."Ethan listened quietly, his face unreadable."During my first week of college, you introduced me to Via. That was when I realized how silly and childish my feelings for you were. No matter how hard I tried, I was no match for you and her. I was ordinary, plain, and chubby. Via was beautiful and incredibly smart. She wasn’t just in a different school; she was in a different league entirely. She’d glance at my ho
After Ethan left, Seraphina Arden slowly opened her eyes.She knew Ethan’s selfishness all too well now.At first, she couldn’t make sense of it, her heart twisting in pain for what seemed like forever. But eventually, she became numb, and over time, clarity replaced the hurt.Ethan’s move to the apartment above her parents’ home, frequently bringing them gifts and eating meals there, had already brought her a great deal of trouble.In this neighborhood, most residents worked in government. Everyone knew everyone. Ethan’s bold and conspicuous actions left no room for doubt about his intentions.Many people had started asking Elijah and Chloe whether Ethan and Seraphina Arden were close to announcing good news.For the calculating Ethan, there was no explanation that Elijah and Chloe could offer that would sound convincing. Even after Seraphina moved out, the whispers didn’t stop.Seraphina Arden was growing increasingly annoyed with this version of Ethan—deliberately stirring up ambig
Babi and Olivia watched as Seraphina Arden got into a sleek black car outside the office. Curiosity piqued, they craned their necks, trying to catch a glimpse of the driver, but the angle made it impossible to see.Ethan noticed Seraphina’s pale face and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”Seraphina hesitated, feeling a little embarrassed. “My stomach hurts.”Ethan nodded with concern. “What do you feel like eating? I’ll take you wherever you want.”Seraphina shook her head wearily. “I’m too tired. I just want to go home and sleep. I’m not hungry.”Ethan chuckled softly. “How about Thai rice noodles? It’s warm and soothing—good for your stomach. We’ll eat, and then I’ll get you home to rest.”Seraphina, too drained to argue, murmured, “Alright.”The car was warm, and the hum of the engine made her drowsy. For once, she wasn’t the one in control, and the rare chance to relax with someone she trusted completely lulled her to sleep.Ethan glanced at her as the car moved smoothly through
That evening, when Seraphina Arden went home for dinner, Ethan was already there.The issue with Uncle Eliot wasn’t exactly a point of pride, and with Ethan being an outsider, the Arden family avoided mentioning anything about Elijah and Chloe’s trip back to their hometown.Seraphina glanced at Ethan and asked, “How’s your arm feeling today?”Ethan smiled at her. “Feels fine. Doesn’t hurt at all.”Chloe interjected, “‘Hurt or not, a broken bone takes a hundred days to heal. When can the cast come off?”Seraphina answered quickly, “The doctor said it’ll be at least forty days.”Elijah frowned. “How do you know that?”Caught off guard, Seraphina froze, not knowing how to respond.Ethan stepped in to smooth things over. “I fell and called Seraphina. She was kind enough to take me to the hospital.”Elijah still felt something was off, but before he could probe further, Chloe called from the kitchen. “Come help carry the dishes—dinner’s ready!”Ethan managed well enough with his left hand,
Elijah and Chloe were still feeling down. Nowadays, Seraphina Arden made it a point to go home after work every day to spend time with her parents.Today, Leon Everhart handed out specialty gift boxes that had been given to him. He told Sophia and Seraphina Arden to split them. Later, he took two other gift boxes from his car and gave one each to Sophia and Seraphina Arden.When Seraphina got to the building downstairs, she called her parents to come down and help carry the items.Elijah and Chloe came down, their hands full of gift boxes. A neighbor passing by couldn’t help but notice:“Chloe, is this from Seraphina’s company? Wow, so much stuff! Your daughter is really capable.”Chloe smiled and deflected gracefully: “Oh no, these are things Seraphina bought herself. She said they’re for her grandma and uncles to take back home for the holidays.”Chloe rarely flaunted wealth in public. With so many familiar faces around, she knew it could spark jealousy and gossip, potentially bringi
Harper’s nature was no mystery to Olivia.The stricter the Henry family was with Harper—banning her from seeing men—the more rebellious she became. Whatever they forbade, she made sure to do.After meeting Olivia, Harper had proposed an arrangement: she’d exchange favors for money and let Olivia set up meetings with the men she fancied.Now that the wedding date with Leon Everhart was set and she was practically living with him, the Henry family had eased their restrictions on her. Harper, tasting newfound freedom, didn’t want to risk any scandals before officially marrying Leon.Olivia, however, was a different story. Driven by greed and consumed by jealousy and hatred for Leon Everhart, she harbored no good intentions. If Harper didn’t want a man, Olivia would find her one anyway.Olivia even hoped Harper would end up pregnant—and preferably not with Leon’s child.Even if the child turned out to be Leon’s, Olivia had her contingency plan. If her shady dealings within TerraVantage Gro
On the third day of the holiday, Ethan came over to Seraphina Arden’s home to pay his respects, bringing along numerous gifts.Although Seraphina and Ethan had not officially defined their relationship, the mutual understanding between them was palpable.Chloe prepared a lavish table of food, and Ethan sat next to Seraphina, instructing her to pass him different dishes.Seraphina shot him a glare, but Ethan just smirked, his roguish grin completely unbothered.Unable to do much about his antics, Seraphina reluctantly complied.That evening, Elijah opened one of the bottles of wine Leon Everhart had gifted Seraphina. He and Ethan shared a drink, and the whole family enjoyed a harmonious dinner together.Eliza, on the other hand, finished her meal early and excused herself to the guest room. Ethan, who had only greeted her upon arrival, hadn’t spared her a glance since.Eliza had given up on trying to draw Ethan’s attention. After all, she had already learned her lesson the hard way.He
It had been a while since Lucas last contacted Seraphina Arden, but today, he suddenly called her.“Hey, Sis, what are you up to?” Lucas asked.Seraphina lowered her voice and said, “The boss is yelling at someone downstairs. Looks like someone’s in big trouble, so I’m finding a place to hide before I get caught in the crossfire.”Lucas chuckled, “Got time to grab lunch with me?”Chloe had repeatedly warned Seraphina not to get too close to Lucas. But Seraphina and Lucas had grown up together like siblings—how could she truly cut ties with him? She also felt she should take the opportunity to remind Lucas to be careful.“Alright, I’m free on Sunday. You pick the place, and lunch is on me,” Seraphina replied.Lucas said, “How about 11:30 at Century Square? I’ll treat you to some Mexican barbecue.”On Sunday, Seraphina arrived as promised.Lucas had already ordered the barbecue and picked up drinks and side dishes. He was sitting at a table, waiting for her.When Seraphina saw him, she
Seraphina Arden and Leon Everhart returned to the office together.It was Saturday afternoon, with Sunday being a holiday. Generally, weekends were less busy, and the office atmosphere was more relaxed. However, seeing Leon Everhart walk in with a bright expression while Seraphina Arden followed behind with a sour look, everyone assumed that Seraphina had been scolded again.As Seraphina headed toward her own office, Leon called her from the front, “Seraphina, come to my office for a moment.”Her aunt had brought many gifts for her today, and the day’s schedule was light. During the banquet, Leon had already promised Seraphina she could leave early to head back with her parents.But Leon Everhart was a man who often went back on his word. This unexpected call felt like he was deliberately holding her back. Seraphina suspected Leon was doing it on purpose, and she couldn’t shake off the faint sense of ambiguity in his tone, which she found inappropriate and prone to misunderstanding.L
Leon Everhart never liked Olivia, and everything about her was something he preferred not to concern himself with. When Olivia expressed a desire to start her own business, Leon told her to prepare a proposal. She came back with less than two pages of nonsensical words, expecting to get $300,000 from him without lifting a finger.Olivia’s brazen and shameless attitude infuriated Leon. He handed her over to Liam and specifically instructed him not to indulge her sense of entitlement.Although Liam wasn’t fond of studying, he was sharp and quick-witted. Despite his dislike for Olivia, he still maintained an outward show of civility. Leon, however, didn’t even care to keep up appearances for her.Even the smartest people can be blindsided at times. Leon Everhart, despite his usual shrewdness, never imagined that someone like Olivia could successfully outmaneuver him.One time, when Leon went to visit Liam’s establishment with some guests, Liam casually mentioned that Olivia was seeing a
Seraphina Arden felt cold all over. With her sharp intuition, she was certain that something was off about Lucas and Olivia’s engagement. The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. She couldn’t believe that Lucas would dare to take such a risk.The next day at work, Seraphina found herself looking at Leon Everhart’s face with a sense of disorientation.After a meeting, she should have returned to her own office, but with her mind preoccupied, she absentmindedly followed Leon Everhart into his office.Leon noticed her dazed and clumsy behavior, and his heart softened.He stopped, but Seraphina kept walking forward. Leon reached out and locked the door from the inside.When Seraphina turned around to look at him, her eyes were clouded with confusion, a stark contrast to her usual cheerful demeanor.Leon’s heart ached slightly. He gently cupped her face and asked, “What’s wrong, Seraphina Arden?”Seraphina stared at his face, her usual quick wit nowhere to be seen. In
Leon Everhart’s concession gave the Henry family a renewed sense of Harper’s value. Harper’s mother began visiting the Everhart estate much more frequently.However, beyond this, the Henry family’s increasing demands were met with mere observation by Leon Everhart, who never intervened again.The collaboration between Seraphina Arden and Leon Everhart grew increasingly seamless. A glance or a gesture was all it took for one to understand the other’s meaning. In work, the two complemented each other perfectly.But when it came to feelings, there was no progress at all.Seraphina Arden’s stance remained clear: she would never be someone’s mistress or destroy another family. For marriage, she wanted someone who truly resonated with her. She had no intention of settling for less again. Her previous attempt at settling with someone she thought she knew well had left her wounded. To settle with a stranger for the sake of companionship could result in an even worse outcome. If, in this life,
The news of the Everhart family's mining company's massive profits eventually reached the Henry family.The Henry family was deeply unsettled.The Everhart family had leveraged their connections to help the Henry family secure land certifications for their residential projects. In exchange, the Henry family had promised Leon Everhart 20% equity in their materials factory. They also sealed their alliance with a marriage and verbally agreed to include the Henry family in future mining ventures.But once Leon Everhart smoothed things over, the Henry family began to feel burdened by the heavy fines they had to pay—fines they claimed cost them nearly everything. After the issue was resolved, the Henry family reneged on their promises, refusing to acknowledge the Everhart family's goodwill. They diluted the equity and forced Leon Everhart to withdraw from the materials factory altogether.After Leon married Harper, Mr. Henry personally approached him, asking him to source construction mater
On the baby’s one-month celebration, Olivia gave Harper a special gift.Standing in Leon Everhart and Harper’s bedroom, Olivia smiled and said, “Sister-in-law, it’s my nephew’s one-month milestone, so I’ve brought you a present. I think you’ll be thrilled when you see it.”Leaning close to Harper’s ear, Olivia whispered, “I had a paternity test done for the baby and Lucas. Turns out, they’re the real father and son.”Harper already knew the truth, but hearing it from Olivia’s mouth struck her differently.The Henry family had pressured Harper to conceive Leon Everhart’s child as quickly as possible. Without a child, they were certain Leon would never marry her.Her brother had bluntly warned her, “You’ve already slept with Leon Everhart. If you can’t marry him, your worth will be even lower. Don’t blame me when I handpick someone else for you to marry.”Harper’s mother had confided in her that the Henry family had deceived Leon Everhart, which had enraged him and led the Everhart fami
Returning to work after the New Year holiday, Seraphina Arden had no desire to visit others for red envelopes. Outwardly, she appeared the same as before, but deep down, her state of mind had undergone a complete transformation. She frequently felt inexplicably weary.After this holiday, an indescribable sense of desolation welled up inside her. Even when playing with her younger siblings during the New Year, the usual joy was absent.At lunch, when most of her colleagues had gone downstairs, Seraphina stayed behind, organizing and checking her office belongings. Leon Everhart appeared at her door and knocked lightly, "Seraphina, why aren’t you eating?"Startled, Seraphina immediately stood up, "Good afternoon, Mr. Everhart. I’ll go in just a moment."Leon Everhart smiled, "Let’s go together."Seraphina shut down her computer, locking the office door as she stepped out.Her careful, meticulous approach always set her apart from others.Seraphina’s sense of despondency didn’t last long
In this region’s custom, families celebrate the birth of a baby boy with a "Lamp Lighting Banquet" in January of the following year, inviting family and close friends to a feast.At the beginning of January, Harper sat at the head of the table holding her son. Leon Everhart reached out to gently pinch the baby’s chubby cheeks, his eyes filled with rare tenderness as he gazed at his son.This was Leon Everhart’s firstborn son, whom he named Maple Everhart.The banquet was lively, with many guests in attendance. Leon Everhart, holding Harper and their son, toasted each guest in turn.Leon was on top of the world—he drank a lot that day, his joy evident. After ten years of investment, he had finally seen substantial returns. His beloved mother was still alive, allowing him to serve her with filial piety. And now, he had a beautiful wife and adorable son by his side—everything in his life seemed perfect.Only Olivia sat there, her head lowered, a cold sneer curling her lips.Leon Everhart