She stared at me. “What did you just say?”I sighed, already losing patience. “I asked if you’re done yelling.”Abby bristled. “And what, was I wrong?! Didn’t you go and seduce that Wynn family CEO?”I cut her off coldly. “And then what?”That threw her off. For a moment, she had no idea how to respond.I pressed on. “And then what, Mrs. Moore? Are you trying to force a confession out of me, or do you just want to make me feel bad?”Abby latched onto that immediately. “That’s right! So, you admit it then? You admit you cheated while still married?”I shook my head. “No. I didn’t cheat. The one who cheated was your son, Julian.”Her face twisted in fury, turning an ugly shade of green. “You liar! What the hell are you talking about? My son would never cheat! That bitch Chloe set him up! “You think a few flimsy pieces of ‘evidence’ are enough to take everything from him? And as for the money—don’t even think about walking away with a single cent!”Ah. So, this was her real motive.Al
Julian froze for a moment, his expression shifting into something unreadable.Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, he said, “I’m sorry.”This time, I was the one caught off guard.I hadn’t expected him to apologize on his mother’s behalf.For a brief moment, I didn’t even know how to respond.After a long pause, I finally spoke. “Mr. Moore, you should go.”My voice had returned to its usual icy indifference.Julian took a step forward.I immediately cut in, my tone sharp. “Don’t come any closer.”His feet stopped abruptly.He looked at me, his gaze filled with something unfamiliar—something painfully raw.I had never seen him like this before.A strange, dull ache spread in my chest, but I ignored it.Turning my face away, I said, “Mr. Moore, we have nothing to do with each other anymore.”His voice was low, almost pleading. “Eve, are you really going through with the divorce?”I nodded. “Yes.”Julian let out a short, bitter laugh. “I… I thought when you woke up, you might change y
The next morning, Nicholas arrived at the hospital early. He looked furious.Apparently, after beating Julian to a pulp yesterday, he found out that Julian’s mother and brother had come looking for trouble with me.That only made him livid.The look in his eyes made it seem like he was ready to end someone.I quickly grabbed his arm. “Brother, it’s fine. They didn’t hurt me.”Nicholas cupped my face, his expression full of heartache. “Eve, you don’t understand… Forget it. I’m getting someone to guard your hospital room.”I panicked. “No need! This is a hospital, not a prison. I don’t want people hovering around.”His gaze darkened. “I heard that old witch screamed at you for nearly an hour.”Just hearing that again made my chest tighten.No matter how much I tried to brush it off, being attacked so viciously still hurt.I tried to soothe him. “Brother, don’t stoop to her level. She only yelled because she’s scared of me filing for divorce.”Nicholas let out a cold laugh. “Of course, sh
So, this was why my bank account suddenly had an insane amount of money?It was all starting to make sense.No wonder Nicholas and Miles got along so well.The two of them were exactly the same—utterly ruthless when it came to payback.Nicholas might seem impulsive and cocky, but he was sharp, calculating. When he made a decision, he followed through.And in some ways, I was the same way.But Miles? He had been the biggest surprise.He always seemed polite, refined, the kind of person who avoided unnecessary conflict.Yet beneath that calm, gentlemanly demeanor, he was just as vengeful as my brother, if not worse.…Dolly kept rambling on, vividly describing how my brother had stormed into Julian’s house with his men, smashing things, flipping furniture, and taking everything that legally belonged to me.Everything.By “everything,” she meant everything except for the jewelry, designer clothes, and luxury handbags she and I had taken with us before.My eye twitched.I knew how my broth
I asked calmly, “So you do remember I was your sister-in-law? I thought you had forgotten.”Pierse’s eyes reddened. “I… I was wrong. I shouldn’t have treated you like that. I always thought you were the one who ruined my brother’s relationship with Chloe.”I raised an eyebrow.He quickly corrected himself. “I mean… Chloe. She’s not my sister-in-law.”My tone softened slightly. “Did she tell you something?”Pierse nodded. “She found me and cried for a long time. She kept saying she couldn’t forget my brother… and that you were the one who forced them apart. That’s how she made it sound.”I nodded in understanding.Of course.There was no way Pierse would have hated me this much on his own—someone had clearly been whispering in his ear.And Chloe? Manipulating people was practically her hobby. If she could convince Julian, fooling a teenage boy must have been child’s play.But I had no interest in rehashing the past or digging into whatever lies she had fed him. It simply didn’t matter
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Don’t talk about your brother like that.”Pierse’s eyes lit up. “Wait, does that mean you still like him?”But the second he saw my expression darken, he immediately shut his mouth.I said flatly, “From now on, stay out of things between me and your brother. Just focus on your studies.”He was in his last year of middle school—about to start high school soon.Since I had lost my memories, I had no idea how well he was doing academically. But considering how often he showed up at the hospital, I had a feeling that he wasn’t doing too well.Sure enough, Pierse scowled. “Don’t even bring up school. Things are a mess at home. No one cares what I do, and honestly, I can’t focus on studying right now.”Something in my chest tightened.I asked cautiously, “Is something going on with the Moore family?”He glanced at me, hesitating.I immediately understood. “My brother’s making trouble for your family, isn’t he?”Pierse nodded.A pang of sympathy hit me.The Moor
I was puzzled by Julian’s behavior.Why had he become so agreeable all of a sudden?A smooth, warm voice interrupted my thoughts. “What’s got you so lost in thought?”I looked up.Miles had just walked in, dressed in a light gray casual suit.As always, he carried himself with effortless elegance, exuding an air of sophistication and undeniable charm.He sat down beside me, studying my face carefully. “You’re looking much better. Dr. Reed said your leg might heal faster than expected—you might not even need the full month before the stitches come out. So don’t worry.”I hesitated before asking, “Miles… what about Julian? Did he say anything? Did he agree to the divorce?”Miles shook his head. “No.”That only confused me more. “Then why did he give up the money so easily? Why would he even help Chloe cover part of it?”A flicker of surprise passed over his face. “How did you know that?”I told him about Chloe’s desperate visit earlier today.Of course, I didn’t mention Pierse’s involvem
I had to admit that Miles had an incredible body.He was the kind of man who looked lean in clothes but was anything but underneath.And it wasn’t the overly bulky, aggressive kind of muscle—every inch of him was sculpted to perfection. Defined, proportional, and built like a work of art.Honestly, the first time I saw Michelangelo’s Apollo sculpture as a kid, it probably looked something like this, except Miles had the refined elegance of his heritage woven into his form, giving his physique an even more effortless grace.How did I know all this?Because I was staring shamelessly.And to make matters worse—I was drooling.Miles had already shed his suit jacket. Now, he was unbuttoning his shirt.I was horrified and humiliated.But I could not look away.The moment he slipped the fabric off his shoulders, exposing smooth, defined muscle, he reached down—taking off his shoes next.Then his fingers landed on his waistband.My brain short-circuited.“STOP!” I shouted.Miles froze.My eyes
I let out a breath of relief. "Good. I guess I’ll stop taking baths from now on. Who knew something so relaxing could nearly kill me?"I tried to lighten the mood with a joke, but neither Miles nor Joseph smiled.Forcing a small grin, I added, "Just… don’t tell my brother, okay?"Miles gave a warm smile. "I won’t."Joseph glanced at him, then said, "I’ve checked everything—she’s fine. Just be careful not to catch a cold."Miles walked him out.When he returned to the room, I was already sitting up against the headboard, my expression uneasy.The mattress dipped slightly beside me as Miles sat down. He looked at me gently. "Eve, what’s wrong?"My voice was low. "Miles... I had a dream about Julian."Miles let out a quiet breath. "That’s normal. I was worried it might be something worse."I shook my head, a flicker of panic rising in my eyes. "But I’ve never dreamed about him since the memory loss. And this time… I saw the first time I met him."My hands trembled slightly. "I shouldn’t r
Warm water swirled gently around me, and the weight of exhaustion began to pull me under.Sleep crept in, soft and heavy....“Eve, come on! I heard the campus heartthrob’s here today!”I looked up, my vision blurry.Where was I?Dolly’s face appeared in front of me, lit with excitement. “Hurry! If we’re late, we won’t get a good view. The club’s short on people, so they brought in the heartthrob to help out. Come on, everyone’s rushing over.”I reached out and grabbed her arm. “No, I’m not going.”She gave me a puzzled look. “Why not? That’s Julian Moore! He’s literally the most popular guy on campus. He’s good looking and comes from a wealthy family.”Something caught in my throat. I wanted to speak but couldn’t get the words out.Dolly, getting impatient, tugged at my hand and started dragging me forward.There were people everywhere, too many to count.Eventually, we arrived at the small rehearsal theater.I looked around in confusion. There were crowds all around, but no one I re
But what did she say?Julian’s grip tightened around the charm, his fingers curling into it as pain filled his eyes...."Julian, I know there’s nothing I can do for you… Just keep this charm. They say the priest there is the real deal. You’re not supposed to throw it away once it’s been blessed.""Julian, I don’t care if you ever become rich or powerful. I just want you to be safe."That foolish woman had clutched the charm in her hands, smiling at him with such innocence and blind faith....The knot dug into his palm, sharp enough to hurt. Julian opened his hand, then closed it tightly around it again.Chloe, who had been rambling on, finally noticed something was off.She caught sight of the charm in his hand and scoffed. "What is that? It looks so tacky."She reached over, trying to take a closer look.Julian quickly slipped it into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.Chloe’s eyes narrowed. "Did she give you that?"He started the car, his voice flat. "No. I got it myself. Some p
Julian looked at me, confused.I took a deep breath. "Julian, stop. I know why you're apologizing. You're doing this for Chloe’s child, right? You just don’t want things to get ugly."He lowered his head, then gave a small nod. "Yes, that’s part of it... but I really…"I cut him off quickly. "Don’t. Goodbye, Mr. Moore."Without looking back, I turned and got into the car.Miles noticed something was off the moment he saw my face. "What did he say?"I steadied myself. "He wants to settle everything privately. He doesn’t want it to go to court."Miles glanced toward Julian’s lonely figure in the distance, his eyes flickering."You okay?" he asked.I shook my head. "I’m fine."He paused, then handed me a tissue. "If it hurts, just cry."I looked at him, my eyes dry. "I can’t cry. But why do I still feel so awful?"His gaze softened. "Julian's pulling all this to protect his pride because of Chloe’s child, isn’t he?"I drew in a shaky breath. "Yeah. He apologized, but in the end, it’s still
Julian's expression darkened as he stared at me. "Evelyn, I thought you said you loved me? And yet here you are with Miles already—what, were you two sneaking around while we were together?"Without thinking, I slapped him.He grabbed my wrist, sneering coldly. "Did I strike a nerve?"I laughed in anger. "I shouldn’t have let Miles in the car earlier. If I hadn’t, the one slapping you right now would’ve been him."Julian let go of my hand and said coolly, "Enough nonsense. Evelyn, dragging this to court would just be a spectacle. After five years of marriage, I don’t want things to end like this."Was he trying to reconcile?I forced down my fury and asked, "What do you have in mind?"Julian hesitated, his gaze complicated. "I’ll return everything that belongs to you... just give me some time."I was stunned.I hadn’t expected Julian, who always seemed so tough, to willingly give up fighting and hand over what I deserved.I went quiet. "Alright. How much time do you need?"Julian tugged
Julian blurted out, “What?!”Then, snapping out of his shock, his face twisted with fury. “Miles Wynn, what the hell do you mean by that?!”Miles smiled, calm and unbothered. “Nothing more than the truth.”Julian’s voice rose, livid. “Truth? This is nothing but one of your dirty tricks!”Miles raised a brow, pretending to be confused. “Dirty? Hmm. I’d actually call it a fresh idea.”Julian’s already dark expression grew stormier.Chloe stood beside him, jaw clenched, eyes locked on us with thinly veiled rage. Suddenly, she cut in sharply, “But wasn’t it Miss White who transferred the 1.2 million to Elmwood?”Dolly stepped forward without missing a beat. “That money was loaned to Eve by me. Got a problem with that?”That shut them both up.I felt a wave of satisfaction rise in my chest. But I also knew Julian wasn’t going to let this slide so easily.Sure enough, he turned to me, eyes cold. “Eve, this is going to court anyway. You can spin the story however you want. We’ll see what the
The moment I saw that elegant, refined face, so striking it felt almost divine, every bit of the frustration I’d buried surged to the surface.Without a second thought, I rushed into his arms. “Miles!”Warmth enveloped me, and the familiar clean scent of pine wrapped around my senses. My eyes stung instantly.Miles lowered his head, chuckling softly. “What’s wrong? You look like a little bunny with those red eyes.”Feeling embarrassed, I gave his chest a light smack. “Why are you here?”He studied my face carefully, then gently brushed his fingers across my cheek. “I heard someone was picking on my darling, so I came running.”That warmth spread through my chest, overflowing, making it hard to hold back tears.He leaned down, his voice low in my ear. “Don’t cry, silly girl.”Then he straightened and looked around the room.His gaze passed over Sarah and Dolly, finally landing on Julian.Julian instinctively straightened his back.He stepped forward, voice laced with sarcasm. “What brin
I turned to Sarah with an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry, Miss Care. It seems I’m not in a position to work with your company until I sort out my personal matters.”Sarah shook her head regretfully. “Please don’t apologize. Our company is moving forward with expansion this year. We’ve already allocated the available investment slots. If you decide not to invest… we’ll have to open the opportunity to others.”She gave me a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, Miss White. But once this window closes, there will be no further opportunity.”I offered a bitter smile and nodded. “I understand.”Dolly was so angry, she could barely hold back a choked sob. “That shameless bastard… absolutely shameless!”I squeezed her hand, silently telling her it was time to go.Julian stepped in front of us, blocking the way. His expression was conflicted, and when he spoke, his voice was softer than I’d ever heard it.“Eve, maybe we can talk this through.”“Julian, you… you’re still not done?” Chloe’s voice r
The moment I heard those words, a rush of blood surged to my head.My ears rang, and that all-too-familiar wave of dizziness came crashing back.I barely registered Dolly's voice rising in fury. “Julian Moore, do you have no shame? You really dare say that was marital property?! Eve paid for it herself! You… you're absolutely disgusting!”I could barely stay on my feet, the world tilting around me.“Dolly… I…” I whispered weakly.She quickly caught me and helped me sit down.I took a few deep breaths to steady myself, then looked up at Julian. And for a split second, though maybe it was the dizziness playing tricks on me, I thought I saw a flicker of concern flash through his eyes.Sarah noticed something was off and immediately stepped in. “Miss White, don’t worry. We can take this slowly.”I fought to calm my pounding heart and spoke, voice steady but cold. “What exactly is it that you want, Mr. Moore?”Julian hesitated for a moment, but soon the polished businessman returned to his