Lucas’s audacity was fueled by Harper. On the day of the engagement banquet, Harper had noticed Leon Everhart’s small gestures toward Seraphina Arden.She told Lucas, “That man has never treated me like that, but look at the way he is with your cousin Seraphina Arden—gentle and attentive. During the banquet, his eyes were glued to her the entire time. With all the wealth of the Everhart family, and Leon Everhart being handsome and rich, it’s rare for a man like him to be genuinely drawn to a woman. If Seraphina Arden puts in just a little effort, Leon Everhart will undoubtedly agree to marry her. All of Everhart’s fortune would then still belong to her. A wealthy man who loves her—any woman would say yes. Go and ask Seraphina Arden to hold onto Leon Everhart. Tell her that if she wants, Leon Everhart will surely agree to it. I’ll step aside and let her have everything."At least this way, we’ll have a slim chance of survival. Olivia has been scheming against us for so long. She doesn’
That night, Seraphina Arden drove Leon Everhart home.In the car, Leon Everhart said to her, “Seraphina, don’t let anyone else know about this. Don’t let Lucas or Harper find out that you told me either. If Lucas asks, you must tell him you didn’t say anything to me.”Seraphina Arden had seen Leon Everhart silently deal with many things before, but now that it was her turn to witness his methods, she couldn’t help but feel scared.Leon Everhart seemed to sense her thoughts. He smiled and said, “What are you afraid of? I won’t do anything to you. I’m genuinely happy that you told me. Otherwise, I would’ve remained in the dark. In fact, even if you hadn’t told me, I would’ve found out eventually. But it’s different now that you were the one to tell me first. Go home and don’t overthink it. Oh, and remember to bring me breakfast tomorrow morning.”Leon Everhart got out of the car and went upstairs alone.Once inside his home, he ripped off his suit jacket and threw it forcefully onto the
There’s a Korean drama called What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim that once went viral. Movies and TV shows often portray secretaries as glamorous women—gorgeous, seductive, and impeccably dressed. They revolve around their powerful bosses, fall in love with them, and compete with their bosses’ lovers for attention, living lives of luxury in upscale venues.Seraphina Arden told her best friend Emily, “It’s all a load of crap.”Seraphina was the secretary to Leon Everhart, the CEO of TerraVantage Group. On this particular Sunday night, she was out with Emily, enjoying street food and doing some window shopping, when her phone buzzed.“Seraphina,” Leon’s familiar, authoritative voice rang through the line. “My flight lands at 12:30 tonight. Pick me up at the airport.”Seraphina silently cursed him with every swear word she knew. But for a paycheck that was more than double her father’s salary, she forced a smile and said, “Of course, Mr. Everhart. Text me your terminal and gate number, and
Leon Everhart, age 31, is the eldest son of the Everhart family and currently single. From a young age, his parents groomed him to inherit the family business. A graduate of a top engineering university with a degree in civil engineering, Leon began immersing himself in the family’s business ventures as early as his freshman year. After completing his undergraduate degree, he attended Cambridge for two years to study management. Upon returning, he joined Everhart Properties under his father’s mentorship and officially took over the reins three years ago, now wielding absolute control over the company.Leon has a younger brother, Liam, who is more of a free spirit. Liam wasn’t particularly inclined toward academics and couldn’t get into college on his own. However, with the family’s wealth, a hefty donation secured him a spot at the university he had his eyes on. After retiring from real estate, their father began guiding Liam in managing the family’s hotel and bar businesses.The Ever
At lunch, Seraphina Arden swiped her card to enter the cafeteria. It was self-service, offering a variety of dishes. If you didn’t eat, the leftover meal allowance would be refunded with your paycheck at the end of the month.Ever since she became Mr. Everhart’s secretary, Seraphina suddenly gained a lot of “friends.” Everyone warmly called her by her first name, and some even brought her small gifts. Seraphina rarely accepted any.Her father had always warned her, “Stay away from people who give gifts without reason. They always want something in return, and it’s never good.”Despite her cheerful demeanor, Seraphina maintained an unspoken distance from everyone.Seraphina loved food and feared being hungry. Every meal, she piled her plate high, determined to eat her fill. She couldn’t relate to her bird-like female colleagues who seemed to survive on a few bites.Meanwhile, Leon Everhart and his team managers always worked through lunch, huddled together at their corner of the cafete
Seraphina Arden returned home, and her mother asked, "How was the blind date today?"Seraphina replied, "The guy was really handsome, like a movie star."Her mother, already sensing it didn’t work out, consoled her, "Never mind. I made some fish soup. Come eat—think of it as seeing a celebrity for free, without even buying a ticket."The little bit of disappointment in Seraphina’s heart instantly dissolved after hearing her mother’s words.Since she rarely got home early, Seraphina had dinner and then went out arm in arm with her mom to browse the shops.Meanwhile, Leon Everhart also arrived home earlier than usual. Dinner was already prepared by Ava, a young woman from TerraVantage Group’s administration team.Ava was 24 years old. Her parents were divorced, and her mother worked as a cook in Leon’s family home. The house was massive, with separate quarters for the staff. Ava had grown up in the vicinity, attending a nearby school.When Ava was 17, she started being involved with Leo
“This Noah guy is even more capable than Glonetix Design Company’s boss,” Leon Everhart calculated in his mind. He quickly came up with a plan: he would poach Noah and his team.When they returned to the company that day, Leon Everhart and the two executives headed upstairs first. Seraphina Arden parked the car, grabbed her bag, and deliberately lagged behind, far from them.Seraphina Arden was hungry. Whenever she got hungry, she felt miserable, so she intentionally stayed back to sneak a quick bite.Back in her office, Seraphina Arden rummaged through her desk drawers for food. Finally, she found a cookie. She popped it into her mouth just as she looked up and saw Leon Everhart standing in her doorway, watching her.Caught off guard, Seraphina Arden shoved the entire cookie into her mouth and stared at Leon Everhart like a deer caught in headlights.Leon Everhart, both amused and annoyed by her lack of decorum, scolded her lightly, “Once you finish that, organize today’s meeting not
Leon Everhart spent the night having a long conversation with his father, who was visibly pleased with how well his eldest son had turned out. That night, Leon stayed at his father’s house.Meanwhile, Ava was left alone in Leon Everhart’s home again. The house was massive—a two-story duplex equipped with every luxury imaginable. Leon favored bright spaces; the interior was simple and modern, with white and natural wood tones dominating the decor.Ava, dressed in a pale yellow robe, sat curled up on the couch in the vast, cold living room. At just 24, she looked more like a resentful queen in an empty palace, waiting for her emperor’s rare visit. Every day after work, Ava would rush back here, groceries in hand, hoping Leon would come home. Most of the time, her wait was in vain, but she couldn’t afford not to be there.Leon gave her $3,000 a month for living expenses, with the condition that she must be home whenever he returned. Ava had no social life—she couldn’t go out with friends
That night, Seraphina Arden drove Leon Everhart home.In the car, Leon Everhart said to her, “Seraphina, don’t let anyone else know about this. Don’t let Lucas or Harper find out that you told me either. If Lucas asks, you must tell him you didn’t say anything to me.”Seraphina Arden had seen Leon Everhart silently deal with many things before, but now that it was her turn to witness his methods, she couldn’t help but feel scared.Leon Everhart seemed to sense her thoughts. He smiled and said, “What are you afraid of? I won’t do anything to you. I’m genuinely happy that you told me. Otherwise, I would’ve remained in the dark. In fact, even if you hadn’t told me, I would’ve found out eventually. But it’s different now that you were the one to tell me first. Go home and don’t overthink it. Oh, and remember to bring me breakfast tomorrow morning.”Leon Everhart got out of the car and went upstairs alone.Once inside his home, he ripped off his suit jacket and threw it forcefully onto the
Lucas’s audacity was fueled by Harper. On the day of the engagement banquet, Harper had noticed Leon Everhart’s small gestures toward Seraphina Arden.She told Lucas, “That man has never treated me like that, but look at the way he is with your cousin Seraphina Arden—gentle and attentive. During the banquet, his eyes were glued to her the entire time. With all the wealth of the Everhart family, and Leon Everhart being handsome and rich, it’s rare for a man like him to be genuinely drawn to a woman. If Seraphina Arden puts in just a little effort, Leon Everhart will undoubtedly agree to marry her. All of Everhart’s fortune would then still belong to her. A wealthy man who loves her—any woman would say yes. Go and ask Seraphina Arden to hold onto Leon Everhart. Tell her that if she wants, Leon Everhart will surely agree to it. I’ll step aside and let her have everything."At least this way, we’ll have a slim chance of survival. Olivia has been scheming against us for so long. She doesn’
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