He looked exhausted—dark circles under his eyes, unshaven, and worn to the bone.The moment he saw Chloe’s bloodied face, he rushed over in a panic. "Chloe, what happened?"Chloe glanced at me, then collapsed into his arms, sobbing pitifully.She cried like the picture of heartbreak, and the people around us began casting strange, judgmental looks at Dolly and me.Dolly was about to snap back, but I grabbed her arm, holding her back.Julian gently soothed Chloe, then pressed, "Tell me, what really happened?"Chloe sniffled and spoke in a small, timid voice. "It’s nothing. I just wanted to buy something for the baby... and then I ran into Miss White and Miss Jones."They cornered me in the restroom and started questioning me... then one of them pushed me by accident."Dolly couldn’t take it anymore. "Julian, you seriously believe that crap?!"His expression darkened. "It doesn’t matter what the story is. She’s hurt. And you two…"He turned to me, disappointment written all over his face
I turned and walked away without another word."Evelyn, wait!" Julian called after me and started to follow, but Chloe suddenly cried out in pain.I glanced back.He was holding onto her, watching my retreating figure. There was something in his expression, like he wanted to run after me and explain everything. But beside him was Chloe, bloodied and whimpering, demanding his attention.I turned away, expression flat, and pulled Dolly along with me.Back home, Dolly was still fuming. "What the hell is wrong with Julian? Is he brain-dead? Whatever Chloe says, he just swallows it whole!"I answered calmly, "In a moment like that, Chloe was the more believable one. Not every woman has the guts to bash her own head on a marble countertop."Dolly was furious. "Then why did you say you pushed her? She only did that because she knew she was cornered!"I kept my voice steady. "Would it have made a difference if I explained? In Julian’s eyes, I’ve always been the one bullying Chloe."Dolly op
Miles set down his utensils and looked at me seriously. “Eve, what exactly are you trying to do?”I shook my head. “Nothing much. I just want my money back and it’s even better if he ends up miserable.”Miles smiled gently. “Don’t worry. James is one of the best lawyers out there. He’ll fight for your rights. I just don’t want to see you trapped in all this.”I reached out and took his hand. He turned his palm over and found the black card lying there.His brows drew together. “What’s this?”I smiled. “I don’t want to use your card.”His expression darkened a little. “Why not?”“Because I have my own money,” I said. “And I want us to date like normal people.”Miles tucked the card right back into my hand.He looked at me, steady and sincere. “We are dating like normal people. Giving you this card is just part of being a man.”I hesitated. “But I already have money in my account.”Miles laughed. “That’s your money. This is your boyfriend giving you allowance. They’re totally two differ
When faced with such a handsome, gentleman saying such earnest words, any woman would’ve melted. I was no exception.My heart started pounding like it had grown an extra one, thumping wildly. "Eve..." Miles leaned closer, his deep eyes narrowing, becoming even more striking and captivating. The air felt laced with sweetness. I stammered, "Just... a... kiss..." Before I could even finish saying "one," his kiss came crashing down like a tidal wave. My breath was swept away. All I could see was his ridiculously good-looking face and the slightly open collar of his shirt... The kiss lasted a long time. When we finally pulled apart, both of us were a little out of breath. I mumbled, "We agreed on just one kiss..." Miles gave a teasing smile. "So that one didn’t count, huh?" He leaned in again. I quickly stopped him. "No more kissing or we’ll be late." He let out a soft laugh and gently ruffled my hair. "Alright, no more kissing." Suddenly, I grabbed him and pla
Miles let out a helpless sigh. "On my way back, I did get stopped, but not by someone asking for my contact. Two sweet little girls cornered me to buy roses." I stared at him. "Huh? How much did you spend?" He pointed at the bouquet. "Two dollars each, so I paid forty dollars for twenty roses.”I let out a dramatic gasp. "What? These flowers aren’t even worth a dollar each! You totally got ripped off!" I unwrapped the bouquet while speaking. Sure enough, the roses were wilted, some uneven in length. They looked like someone had fished them out of a dumpster and threw them together. Forty dollars for this? That was highway robbery! I didn’t know how I should react at that moment. "I should’ve warned you—there are usually little girls around here selling flowers. Did they cling to you and tell you to buy some for your girlfriend?" Miles nodded. I sighed in pain. "Forty dollars for this, and they’re not even decent flowers..." But he didn’t seem to mind. "It’s fine. I ac
I studied the bracelet carefully under the soft beam of the phone’s flashlight, examining every inch until my eyes turned red and sore. Only then did I gently place it back in the box. Miles asked, "Why not wear it?" I shook my head. "I’m afraid I’ll break it." As I said that, my cheeks flushed because I remembered exactly what my grandmother told me when she gave me those bracelets. "Sweetheart, this is Grandma’s gift to you for your wedding. It’s been in the family for generations. When the time comes, wear it—it’ll bring you happiness, and a home filled with love and laughter."...Miles watched me tuck the satin-lined box carefully into my bag. He let out a soft chuckle. "I didn’t know you and your grandma were that close. Nicholas never seemed to have that kind of bond with her."I scoffed. "Of course not. He wasn’t my grandma’s sweetheart—I was. He was always a rebellious one. Our parents moved to the city with him really early on." As soon as I finished, I froze, low
Miles didn’t answer, just smiled quietly and asked again, "Do you like it?" Tears welled up in my eyes again, ridiculous and uncontrollable. I nodded quickly, maybe a little too eagerly.He stood calmly beside me, shoulders brushing mine as we both watched the fireworks burst across the sky. Our hands stayed tightly clasped, like two people who had been lost for years and suddenly found their way back to each other. Images flashed through my mind—vague, fleeting, impossible to hold onto. I thought I saw a boy in a white shirt standing in a haze of bright light, looking at me with a gentle smile. He asked, "Eve, what do you like?" The little girl replied, "I like flowers." "Oh?" he said lightly. "What kind of flowers?" "Fireworks!" He blinked, then let out a quiet laugh. "Silly girl, fireworks aren’t flowers." She pouted. "Who says they’re not? I want lots and lots of fireworks on my birthday." The boy stood there in the glow, a trace of regret in his voice. "But
I couldn’t remember if I ever actually saw the meteor shower that night.All I knew was that I fell asleep watching the fireworks, wrapped in happiness.In my dream, the boy in the white shirt stepped out from the light again, just like before.I looked at him with surprise and joy.Then, slowly, his face became Miles’.He smiled. "The fireworks you love..."...When I woke up in bed the next morning, there was still a smile on my face.I rubbed my cheeks, and they were sore.The sparkle on my finger snapped me fully awake.The ring.I hadn’t dreamed it.Miles really had fireworks set off all night to celebrate my birthday. He really gave me that gift.I blinked a few times, then carefully polished the diamond ring.It had to be around three carats, but the way it sparkled, it could easily pass for four or five.When I flipped it over for a closer look, I nearly gasped.It was from Cartier and custom-made.I quickly snapped a photo and sent it to Dolly. “Look what I got!”She was at wo
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