"I'm not doing anything special. What's up? Aren't you supposed to be in a business meeting? How do you have time to call me?" Valarie asked.Brandon replied, "It's all taken care of. My flight is tonight. Want to meet up?"Valarie raised an eyebrow. "What time will you be back in Saintornia?""A little after 11:00 p.m.," Brandon answered.Valarie shook her head. "That's too late. You've been on a business trip for almost a week. You should just go home and rest."Brandon chuckled. "But I really want to see you. How about this? I'll have my driver stop by your place. We can see each other briefly, and then I'll head home. Sound good?"Valarie considered it. His route home would pass by her neighborhood anyway. "Alright. Just call me when you're close. I'm about to have dinner, so I'll talk to you later. Bye.""Okay," Brandon replied.After hanging up, Valarie entered the restaurant.Stefan had reserved a private dining room, and by the time she arrived, he was already inside.
Nyla Jayston was in her third month of trying to conceive when she saw a message on her husband Clark Sumner's phone from a contact named "Jordyn Cheatham".Jordyn: [I think my new nightgown is a bit tight. Why don't you come over and check if it fits?]Attached was a selfie of a woman in a deep V-neck red slip dress, her cleavage partly exposed, exuding seduction.Nyla's grip on the phone tightened. She scrolled up and found Clark and Jordyn's previous exchanges to be strictly work-related, which made her frown.'Was the text sent by mistake? Or…'A hand wrapped around Nyla's waist from behind, breaking her thoughts.Clark pressed his warm body against hers and gently nibbled her earlobe. "Honey, I'm all cleaned up. Do you want to do it on the couch or the bed?"Before Nyla could respond, Clark picked her up and laid her on the couch, his tall frame looming over her."Since you're not saying anything, I'll choose. Let's do it on the couch," Clark said, his voice husky and his
Nyla downed her drink in one gulp. She had never imagined Clark would betray her. Seeing him in bed with another woman felt like a dagger through her heart."I just can't believe it. He loved you so much. He didn't seem like the type to cheat. Maybe there's a misunderstanding," Valarie suggested.Nyla let out a cold laugh. "I saw it with my own eyes. How could that be a misunderstanding?"The room fell silent.Watching Nyla drink like there was no tomorrow, Valarie grabbed the glass from her hand. "Even if he cheated, you shouldn't punish yourself by getting drunk. What are you going to do now?""I'm getting a divorce. Just thinking about him with that woman makes me sick."Upon seeing the defiance in Nyla’s red eyes, Valarie's heart ached. "Don't think about it now. You need to rest. Decide what to do next once you’re calm. I'll take you home."Nyla shook her head. "No... I don't want to go back."Returning to that house would only bring back the sickening images of Clark’s be
On Nyla's way back, she hesitated for a long time before finally messaging Damon, someone whose contact she had had for three years but had never contacted.Nyla: [Uncle Damon... Can we pretend tonight never happened? I was really drunk and went to the wrong room.]She waited for a long time, but there was no response from Damon. Frowning, she sent another message.Nyla: [?]As soon as she sent it, a red exclamation mark appeared: [You are no longer friends with this user. Please send a friend request to continue chatting.]Nyla bit her lip. Damon had deleted her. He must not want to bring this up again. Relieved, she finally felt a bit of peace.…When Nyla got home, it was already past 6:00 a.m.As soon as she opened the door, she saw Clark sitting on the sofa. He turned sharply at the sound of the door, his eyes bloodshot from a sleepless night."Where were you last night? I called you dozens of times. Why didn’t you answer?"Clark stood up and walked quickly toward her, r
Nyla froze for a moment, then struggled desperately. Just the thought of Clark kissing another woman the night before filled her with disgust and rage."Let go!"Her struggles were futile against Clark, who only tightened his grip around her waist.As she fought, her towel loosened, revealing her body. His gaze darkened, and he felt a rush of desire.Their bodies were pressed tightly together, and Nyla quickly noticed the change in Clark. Furious, she bit him hard, tasting blood in their mouths.Instead of letting go, Clark's other hand slipped under Nyla's towel. She had nothing on underneath, having just come out of the shower. She stiffened and struggled even more fiercely."Clark, get off me!"Clark ignored Nyla, his fingers teasing her sensitive spots. "Nyla, you need me too, don't you?"Nyla’s struggles were in vain, and she grew increasingly desperate. As Clark positioned himself, she closed her eyes in despair. "Clark, don't make me hate you."Clark halted abruptly. Se
Seeing the coldness in Clark's eyes, Nyla realized how blind she had been to fall in love with such a man.Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but she refused to show any vulnerability in front of him. She yanked her hand away, took a deep breath, and headed upstairs. The only thought in her mind was to find a job quickly so she could move out and divorce Clark.She grabbed a random outfit, tied her hair up with a hairpin, and went back downstairs. She was never one to fuss over her appearance. In the past, she had dressed up for the Sumners' gatherings to make a good impression. Now, she couldn't care less.Hearing her footsteps, Clark looked up.Nyla wore a fitted white dress, her waist so slender it seemed it could be encircled with one hand. Her hair was secured with a jade hairpin, revealing her delicate neck. She was breathtakingly beautiful. The grace she exuded was just like when they first met. However, the look in her eyes now was devoid of any warmth."Let’s go," she said
Nyla lifted her head to speak, but Clark grabbed her hand and smiled. "Grandma, we're working on it!"Nyla tried to pull her hand away, but Clark's grip was too tight.If he wouldn't let her be, she wouldn't make it easy for him either. She turned to Marie. "Grandma, I'm looking for a job right now, so having children might have to wait."The room fell silent.Clark's grip on Nyla's hand tightened painfully, and she winced.Damon glanced at Clark's hand on Nyla, noticing the bulging veins, then looked away indifferently.Clark’s aunt, Anne Sumner, sneered. "Nyla, don't blame me for being blunt. You've been married for years. How can you not have a child yet? If it weren't for Clark insisting on marrying you, do you think your family could have ever married into the Sumners?"You should be grateful. If you don't want to have Clark's child, there are plenty of women who do. If someone else steps in, you’ll be the one looking foolish."Besides, Anne thought, "Who knows if Nyla is
Clark stiffened abruptly, his expression darkening instantly. He tightened his grip on Nyla's chin before slowly releasing her and turning to face Damon.Meeting Damon's amused gaze, Clark forced a smile. "No. Uncle Damon, did you need something?"Damon smiled. "Your grandma sent me to call you both for dinner.""Thank you, Uncle Damon.""No trouble at all. But remember, this is the family home. Be mindful of your actions." As Damon spoke, he briefly glanced at the red mark on Nyla's chin, mockery evident in his gaze.Seeing Damon's eyes linger on Nyla, Clark frowned and stepped in front of her. "I understand, Uncle Damon."His tone and expression were not pleasant, and his gaze toward Damon betrayed a hint of wariness.Damon smirked and casually looked away. "Alright, let's go eat."After Damon left, Clark reached out for Nyla's hand, but she dodged him, walking away without a backward glance.Clark quickly caught up, gripping her hand firmly. "Behave, or I'll talk to your fa
"I'm not doing anything special. What's up? Aren't you supposed to be in a business meeting? How do you have time to call me?" Valarie asked.Brandon replied, "It's all taken care of. My flight is tonight. Want to meet up?"Valarie raised an eyebrow. "What time will you be back in Saintornia?""A little after 11:00 p.m.," Brandon answered.Valarie shook her head. "That's too late. You've been on a business trip for almost a week. You should just go home and rest."Brandon chuckled. "But I really want to see you. How about this? I'll have my driver stop by your place. We can see each other briefly, and then I'll head home. Sound good?"Valarie considered it. His route home would pass by her neighborhood anyway. "Alright. Just call me when you're close. I'm about to have dinner, so I'll talk to you later. Bye.""Okay," Brandon replied.After hanging up, Valarie entered the restaurant.Stefan had reserved a private dining room, and by the time she arrived, he was already inside.
Michelle hung up after delivering her threat.Stefan stood frozen, his body tense with despair.No matter what he did, it seemed he could never truly escape the Snowdens.If it weren't for them, he wouldn't be able to pay for his mother's treatment. Yet, they were the people he hated most. He despised them.He also despised his mother, Lily. If she had never given birth to him, he wouldn't be trapped in this nightmare, stuck in the mud with no way out.And yet… she was the only person who had ever shown him kindness.That fragile thread of family—thin and fraying—still tugged at his heart, holding him back. Even though it hurt, he couldn't bring himself to sever it.…Valarie had just returned home when her mother called her over. She changed into her house slippers and sat beside her."Valarie, when are you and Brandon getting married?" Phoebe asked.Valarie frowned. "Mom, we haven't even discussed that yet.""You're not getting any younger." Phoebe huffed. "You rejected every guy we
The two of them were eight years apart, with different interests and personalities.Some of Stefan's behavior struck Valarie as incredibly immature. But more importantly, she had never seen him in a romantic light.To her, he was more like a younger brother—someone she felt protective of, but not someone she could ever like that way.He should be dating girls his own age, and she should get back to living her own life.With that thought, Valarie accepted the money.Valarie: [Thank you for everything these past few weeks. And… I'm sorry about today.]…Stefan stared at the message on his screen in a quiet park, his lips curling into a mocking smile.Just as Brandon had said—Valarie had only been using him as a distraction. Now that she was back with Brandon, she'd discarded him without hesitation.Taking a deep breath, he deleted the chat and didn't reply.They had always been from different worlds. Now, things were simply returning to how they had been before.Still, he coul
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Valarie cut Brandon off, her gaze sharp with accusation.Brandon hesitated, caught off guard for a moment.After a brief pause, he nodded. "Yes, I did. Because I don't like how much attention you're giving Stefan. If it had been any other server handling the bill, would you still be questioning me like this?""There's no 'if.' I chose to be with you again, which means I'm not holding onto anything with Stefan. So, there's no reason for you to single him out," Valarie replied.Brandon's expression darkened slightly. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then held back. "Alright. I understand.""Good. Let's go home," Valarie said, and the car fell into silence.When they finally arrived at the Weir residence, Brandon broke the quiet. "Valarie, don't you think… things between us aren't the same anymore?"They were supposed to be a couple, yet they tiptoed around each other—testing boundaries, afraid to say the wrong thing.Valarie pressed her l
"Alright. I'm about to board. I'll talk to you later," Nyla said.Valarie replied, "Okay, have a great trip."After hanging up, Nyla turned to Damon and Mason, her eyes glowing with happiness.She had dreamed for so long of taking a family trip together. Now, that dream had finally come true.…Valarie and Brandon walked into the restaurant.As they sat down, a server approached with two glasses of water."Good evening, sir, ma'am—" Before the server could finish, his smile faltered.Valarie hadn't expected to see Stefan here. A flicker of surprise crossed her face.Just as she was about to speak, Stefan quickly regained his composure, adopting his usual polite smile. "Good evening. May I take your order? We just received fresh salmon and sea urchin today. I highly recommend trying them."Brandon raised an eyebrow, a faint hint of mockery in his gaze. "We'll take your recommendations. And add an order of Arctic shrimp sashimi as well.""Certainly, sir. Would you like anythin
Michelle frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? I already told my assistant to handle it.""Then why was my mom kicked out of her hospital room in the middle of the night?" Stefan shot back.Michelle's voice grew cold. "Forget about that. I should be asking you. Besides taking a few staged photos with Valarie, have you made any real progress?""What more do you want?" Stefan asked.She smirked. "I want something that will completely ruin her. You know what to do.""Send me 250,000 dollars for medical expenses first, or I'm done doing your dirty work," Stefan demanded.Michelle let out a mocking laugh. "Stefan, you know I can have your mother thrown out of the hospital for good with a single word, right?"He had no right to threaten her.Stefan retorted, "Oh, I believe you. But if you do that, I'll make sure the whole world knows everything you made me do. When that happens, Brandon will never want anything to do with you again.""You!" Michelle clenched her jaw, her fa
"Yeah, I just got home. How's your mother doing now?" Valarie asked."Her condition is stable. Veevee… I need to ask you something," Stefan said.A flicker of surprise crossed Valarie's eyes. "What is it?"There was a brief silence before Stefan spoke again. "Never mind, it's nothing important. Get some rest. Goodnight."Before Valarie could respond, he had already hung up.She set her phone down, deciding to invite Stefan out for dinner in the next few days and have an honest conversation with him.…After the surgery, Michelle remained unconscious for a full day before finally waking up.The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Jayden sitting by her bedside."Michelle! You're awake!" Jayden exclaimed, relief flooding his voice as he quickly pressed the call button for the doctor.Once the doctor confirmed she was out of danger, Jayden exhaled deeply."Michelle, do you have any idea what I went through while you were unconscious? Please, don't ever do something so reckless a
The moment Brandon spoke, silence blanketed the room.Yale and Nolan both looked visibly uneasy.Jayden froze for a second, then his face twisted with disappointment. "Fine! From now on, we're strangers!"With that, he shoved Nolan aside and stormed toward the hospital entrance.Nolan frowned and turned to Brandon. "Brandon, Jayden was just upset. Did you really have to make it so final? How are you going to fix things later?""I don't plan to fix anything. Because of him and Michelle, Valarie and I fought countless times. Do you really think I should sacrifice my girlfriend for two so-called friends?" Brandon retorted.Seeing the indifference in his expression, Nolan suddenly regretted sending that message earlier. If he hadn't texted Brandon about Valarie being with another guy, none of this would have happened."I'm heading home," Brandon said before turning to Valarie, taking her hand, and leading her out of the hospital.Watching them leave, Nolan felt a surge of frustrati
A cold gust of wind blew through, and Brandon felt his heart sink.From the moment he first laid eyes on Valarie, he had made up his mind—he had to be with her, to marry her.He had pursued her for five years. They had finally gotten together, only to break up soon after.He had tried everything to win her back, but no matter what he did, she only seemed to drift further away.Was it really impossible for them to be together?"Valarie, you told me to stay away from Michelle for a month, and I did."Tonight, Jayden called to say that Michelle tried to commit suicide and is in the hospital being resuscitated. I still didn't go see her."I know I made a lot of mistakes before, but I've been trying to change. Can you give me one more chance?" he pleaded.Valarie remained silent for a long time. She knew she still had feelings for Brandon. When she met his pleading gaze, she felt herself softening.Finally, she looked at him and nodded. "Alright, but this is the last chance I'm giv