I was completely frozen. My brain had short-circuited. The more I tried to explain, the worse it got.Trey, ever so helpful, chimed in dryly, “What she means is, she doesn’t need your money. Bro, you’re dating her, and she still doesn’t think you’re essential.”“Shut up!” I snapped, completely losing it. “Say one more word and I’m never selling you another painting!”The moment the words left my mouth, I realized how empty that threat sounded. Yeah, that wasn’t exactly intimidating.Thankfully, Trey finally decided to quit messing with me.He grinned. “Alright, bro, I’m out. I’ll leave you two lovebirds to talk it out.”And with a tilt of his head, he slipped out of the room.Now the spacious private room felt too quiet—with just me and Miles left.He looked at me with that deep, unreadable gaze. “Now that he’s gone, you can speak freely.”I let out a helpless laugh. “You totally got played by that jerk Trey. He’s full of it. He was just being a troll.”Miles looked half amused. “
Julian posted, “Personal statement: Regarding all slander and false accusations made by Ms. Chloe Clarke, I reserve the right to pursue legal action...”I froze. Then, snapping out of it, I immediately opened Julian’s page.It was clean—only three posts in total.The first two were from five years ago: one was a repost of a company interview, the other was a friendly share from a business partner.This new post was the third.I read it again and again, every word sharp and distant. His message was utterly cold.Was Julian really cutting ties with Chloe for good?My brain couldn’t quite process it. After all, Chloe claimed she was pregnant with his child.I went back to comb through Chloe’s posts more carefully and realized that she never actually said she was pregnant outright.What the hell were they playing at?I closed the app, thinking that the whole thing felt like a soap opera.Right then, Dolly’s voice call popped up.“Eve, did you see it? Julian’s done with Chloe for real th
I forced a laugh. "I really didn’t plan to take his money. After all, we’ve only just started dating casually..."At that point, I smacked my lips in frustration.Thinking back on my relationship with Miles, there wasn’t much spark. He’d appeared in my dark, messy life like a quiet breeze and simply stayed. Our relationship sounded decent on paper, but it always felt like something was missing—passion, maybe.Was it because we were both deliberately keeping our distance?That word “distance” flashed through my mind, and suddenly, the black card in my hand didn’t feel all that exciting anymore.Dolly had no idea why my mood had dropped out of nowhere. She kept urging me to dress up and hurry out to swipe the card.So, I went to change into a dress and put on some light makeup.Just as I was getting ready, James called."Miss White, Mr. Moore wants to settle out of court."I blinked. "He agreed to settle?""Yes. My advice is to hear him out first. If the terms are reasonable, we won’t
There was one suspicion buried deep in my heart that I never dared to face.From Dolly, I found out that five years ago, I recklessly invested the one hundred million my grandfather left me, under my name, into the struggling Moore Group.That decision led my parents to publicly sever ties with me in the papers.No matter how many times I asked, Dolly refused to tell me what happened to them afterward.And then there was my brother.Even though Nicholas and I had mended our relationship, every time I brought up wanting to see our parents or told him how much I missed them, he would always find a way to dodge the conversation.All of this made me afraid to dig deeper.I was scared the truth would be more than I could handle. For now, my only focus was to recover that one hundred million dollars, along with the shares and dividends Julian owed me.Family could be mended after being hurt, but the only way I could make up for my past mistake was with money.A deep sense of powerlessness c
I didn’t look back, pretending I hadn’t heard a thing as I walked straight toward Dolly.She finally noticed the two womenThey were clearly not here with good intentions. She frowned and came to stand beside me.Cathleen stepped forward and blocked our path.I got a proper look at her. She looked to be in her thirties, with a flat face caked in heavy makeup—a typical wannabe socialite. The woman next to her was slim, dressed in a similar flashy style, her delicate features bearing all the signs of cosmetic work.Cathleen was clearly sizing me up. I recognized that look—it was the kind of gaze people gave when they thought they were watching a good show.I frowned slightly. "Madam Stevens?"She forced a smile. "Mrs. Moore, what a coincidence. Getting a little makeover too? Off to a fancy party?"I pretended not to catch the dig in her tone. "No, just out shopping."Dolly glanced between us, then suddenly and idea struck her.I knew she’d just remembered who this woman was.I immedi
I let out a cold laugh. "What does his affair have to do with me? You want to mock me—fine. But why drag my family into it? What did the Whites ever do to you?"By now, the tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.Cathleen gave a snide little smile. "Oh, don’t mind her, Michelle. No need to stoop to her level. Mrs. Moore’s known for stirring up trouble. “With a temper like that, better watch out or she might show up at your husband’s office, throw a scene, and ruin your business with the Moore Group."Michelle sneered. "Please. You think she has any hold over Julian Moore? He’s been sick of her for ages. That’s why he cheated."Dolly had had enough. She shoved Michelle back a step. "You’re nothing but trash talking trash. Coming in here running your mouth like you’ve got something to say. “Who are you to comment on Eve’s temper? What position do you even hold? You and this twig over here are just minor suppliers to the Moore Group. Acting like you run the place. Wh
The rack of clothes was rolled over, and both Cathleen and Michelle’s expressions changed instantly. Ignoring the staff trying to stop them, they pushed their way through.Michelle was the first to snap. "Evelyn, what exactly are you playing at?"Dolly answered with a mocking smile, "What’s wrong, Michelle? Did you actually pay for these dresses? One, two, maybe even three of them?"Michelle was momentarily speechless. Earlier, the manager whispered to us that Cathleen and Michelle were notorious for abusing their membership perks.They would reserve high-end dresses just to try them on without ever buying. The store usually turned a blind eye because those pieces never had trouble selling anyway. But now, with Dolly calling her out directly, Michelle looked rattled.Cathleen, noticing her friend starting to falter, quickly cut in. “Of course we reserved them. Mrs. Moore, grabbing dresses someone else has their eye on? It’s a bit low, don’t you think?"Low?I gave her a cool, half-
She sighed. "That's human nature. There's no escaping it." I nodded, feeling a little less suffocated inside. ...Dolly and I continued shopping. When she found out I sold ten of Trey’s paintings, her jaw practically dropped.She looked at me in awe and envy. "Wow! That’s amazing. You made so much just like that. The Wynn family really is a gold mine."But I frowned. "Still, I find Trey a little strange. There’s something about him I can’t quite put my finger on."Dolly asked, "Strange how?"I couldn't explain it. It just felt like there was a deep rift between the two Wynn brothers—they couldn’t stand each other. And the younger one seemed hell-bent on pushing his brother’s buttons.Whatever.I had enough problems of my own and got no time to worry about their sibling drama.Then it hit me—I hadn’t gone on a proper date with Miles in days.But wait... didn’t we just have dinner last night?Why did it feel like I hadn’t seen him in forever?Lost in thought, I stared off blankly
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