They were as impeccably dressed as ever, but I glanced at the shopping bags in their hands and couldnโt help but smirk."Oh, what a coincidence. Are you two here to shop for secondhand bags?"Rossieโs expression darkened. "Eve, we still havenโt settled our last score! What are you so smug about?"Lilian sneered beside her. "Rossie, donโt you see? Sheโs here because sheโs broke and needs to cash out."With a mocking chuckle, she added, "Look at her, without Julian Moore, sheโs nothing. Didnโt she used to call herself Mrs. Moore all the time? What a joke."Both of them covered their mouths, laughing as if theyโd just heard the funniest thing in the world.I felt irritation bubbling inside me.I was here to sell things, and of all people, they just had to run into me at the worst moment.Not wanting to waste my breath, I turned to leave.But Rossie wasnโt done. "Oh, leaving so soon?"I ignored her and headed back toward the VIP room.Then, behind me, she suddenly said, "Hey, Lilian, did y
I couldnโt help but laugh along with her. What we didnโt know was that inside the store, Rossie and Lilian were fuming, their faces twisted with anger. Lilian snapped, "Rossie, are we really just going to let those two bitches insult us and run off?" A cold glint flashed across Rossieโs perfectly made-up face. "We still have unfinished business with them. Just wait." She found the appraiser who had just stepped out of the VIP room and asked a few questions. The appraiser nodded. "Yes, Miss White just brought in quite a lot of high-end pieces to cash out." Rossie smirked. "Weโd like to take a look. Who knows? We might find something we like." The appraiserโs demeanor instantly became more respectful. "Of course, Miss Dean, Miss Frost. Please, come in and browse." As soon as they stepped inside, both of them were momentarily stunned. A massive table was covered with gleaming luxury handbags, some of which were limited editions. Lilian discreetly tugged at Rossieโs sle
I jolted in surprise and instinctively stepped back. Dolly immediately moved in front of me, her expression fierce. "What do you want?" The man, clearly drunk, had a flushed face, and the heavy stench of alcohol clung to his words. "Relax, gorgeous. Just wanna get to know you. How about adding me on Instagram?" Dolly let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Not happening. Now move. Weโre heading home." The man trailed behind us, his mouth spewing filth. "Damn, feisty one, huh? Iโm just being friendly. You two stunning ladies, out here drinking aloneโwhat a shame. โNo boyfriends to keep you company? Thatโs just sad. Come on, hang with me instead. Next time you wanna drink, hit me upโIโll take you to the best bars." By the time we reached the curb, he was still following, refusing to let up. Dolly was getting annoyed. "God, are you serious? Take a hint, weโre not interested. Youโre drunk, so do yourself a favor and get lost." I noticed his expression darken and quickly stepped b
The man seized the opportunity to jump into the driverโs seat, and with a sharp launch, the Ferrari shot forward, speeding away from the chaos. Dolly and I were squeezed together in the passenger seat, both of us still tense from what had just happened. He drove through the streets, making several sharp turns before finally pulling into a secluded spot and bringing the car to a stop. The doors opened, and Dolly and I hesitantly stepped out, still shaken. The man followed, casually pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. His sharp, mischievous eyes flicked to me as he leaned against the car with a grin. "So, Eve, how do you plan to thank me for saving your ass tonight?" Eve? A shiver of discomfort ran down my spine. I finally recognized him. "Trey Wynn?" "Mm-hmm." Trey leaned lazily against the car door, cigarette dangling from his lips. He arched a perfect brow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Took you long enough to recognize me. I gotta say, Iโm a little hurt." I
I slept terribly that night. In my dream, I saw myself getting harassed by strangers, and Trey stepping in to fight them off. But in the next instant, Miles was there, standing quietly, watching. "Miles!" I ran toward him, but he just looked at me with disapproval. "What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?" I opened my mouth to explain when Julian suddenly stormed in from nowhere, his face livid. He grabbed my wrist and snapped, "Evelyn, youโre causing trouble again. Canโt you just stay out of it for once?" I struggled hard to break free. "I donโt need you to control me! Let go!" Julian shot me a look of pure disdain. "Havenโt you had enough? You never stop making a scene. Do you even care if your friends get dragged down with you?" I turned in alarmโsure enough, I saw Dolly being taken away. Panic surged through me. "I didnโt do anything! It wasnโt me! They were the ones harassing us!" I shouted, desperate to explain, but no one moved to help Dolly.
There were seven roses, each one lush and perfectly formed. I admired them carefully. Suddenly, Dolly leaned in close, her face just inches from mine. "Eve, did you notice something?" I blinked. "What?" She pointed at me. "Look in the mirror." Confused, I turned to the mirror and froze. The reflection staring back at me was completely different from the person I had been just a couple of weeks ago when I walked out of the hospital. Back then, my face had been pale and lifeless, drained of energy. My eyes were dull, heavy with exhaustion and despair. But now, my skin was radiant, my lips curved into an undeniable smile, and my eyesโbright, full of warmth, brimming with something I hadnโt seen in myself for a long time. I hesitated, reaching up to touch my own face, as if to make sure it was really me. Dolly leaned in again, eyes narrowing. "Okay, spill. This was from Mr. Wynn, wasnโt it?" Panic surged through me. I quickly blurted out, "Uhโthis is from a store I
For a brief moment, Chloeโs carefully crafted look of innocence cracked.I caught the flash of cold calculation in her eyes.This woman wasnโt as simple as she pretended to be. Julian was completely under her control, and he didnโt even realize it. He probably thought she was just a little possessive, but what he failed to see was that he had a venomous snake coiled around him.If Chloe could snoop through his phone, that meant she had access to far moreโconfidential business information, corporate strategies, even financial records.Realizing this, I instinctively took a step back.Chloe softened her voice, her tone delicate and fragile. "Miss White, Miss Jones, I came here in person to show my sincerity. I want to make peace with you."Before Dolly could speak, I frowned. "Miss Clarke, if this is about your proposal last time, then thereโs nothing to discuss. Thatโs between Julian and me.""And besides, I have no interest in being your friend, much less making peace. Because there
When he arrived, the living room was dimly lit, with only the soft glow of a floor lamp casting warm, golden light.I stood alone by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring blankly at the city below, where endless streams of headlights weaved through the rain-slicked streets.Outside, the rain fell in a steady, quiet drizzle.Behind me, the sound of footsteps, calm, measured, and controlled, broke the silence."Why are you still up this late?"His familiar voice was cool, even colder than the rainy night outside.Through the reflection in the glass, I saw Miles standing behind me.In the windowโs faint outline, our figures overlappedโlike two lovers locked in a quiet embrace.I turned to face him, my gaze steady. "Miles, can you do me a favor?"My directness caught him slightly off guard.I handed him the invitation.His brows furrowed as he took it. "How did you get this?"I briefly explained Chloeโs visit.For a fleeting moment, a sharp, icy look flashed across Milesโs face. He was und
I let out a breath of relief. "Good. I guess Iโll 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, "Justโฆ donโt tell my brother, okay?"Miles gave a warm smile. "I wonโt."Joseph glanced at him, then said, "Iโve checked everythingโsheโs 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, whatโs wrong?"My voice was low. "Miles... I had a dream about Julian."Miles let out a quiet breath. "Thatโs normal. I was worried it might be something worse."I shook my head, a flicker of panic rising in my eyes. "But Iโve never dreamed about him since the memory loss. And this timeโฆ I saw the first time I met him."My hands trembled slightly. "I shouldnโt r
Warm water swirled gently around me, and the weight of exhaustion began to pull me under.Sleep crept in, soft and heavy....โEve, come on! I heard the campus heartthrobโs here today!โI looked up, my vision blurry.Where was I?Dollyโs face appeared in front of me, lit with excitement. โHurry! If weโre late, we wonโt get a good view. The clubโs short on people, so they brought in the heartthrob to help out. Come on, everyoneโs rushing over.โI reached out and grabbed her arm. โNo, Iโm not going.โShe gave me a puzzled look. โWhy not? Thatโs Julian Moore! Heโs literally the most popular guy on campus. Heโs good looking and comes from a wealthy family.โSomething caught in my throat. I wanted to speak but couldnโt 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?Julianโs grip tightened around the charm, his fingers curling into it as pain filled his eyes...."Julian, I know thereโs nothing I can do for youโฆ Just keep this charm. They say the priest there is the real deal. Youโre not supposed to throw it away once itโs been blessed.""Julian, I donโt 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.Chloeโs 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 Chloeโs child, right? You just donโt want things to get ugly."He lowered his head, then gave a small nod. "Yes, thatโs part of it... but I reallyโฆ"I cut him off quickly. "Donโt. 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 doesnโt want it to go to court."Miles glanced toward Julianโs lonely figure in the distance, his eyes flickering."You okay?" he asked.I shook my head. "Iโm fine."He paused, then handed me a tissue. "If it hurts, just cry."I looked at him, my eyes dry. "I canโt cry. But why do I still feel so awful?"His gaze softened. "Julian's pulling all this to protect his pride because of Chloeโs child, isnโt he?"I drew in a shaky breath. "Yeah. He apologized, but in the end, itโs 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 alreadyโwhat, 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 shouldnโt have let Miles in the car earlier. If I hadnโt, the one slapping you right now wouldโve 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 donโt 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. "Iโll return everything that belongs to you... just give me some time."I was stunned.I hadnโt 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, โWhat?!โThen, snapping out of his shock, his face twisted with fury. โMiles Wynn, what the hell do you mean by that?!โMiles smiled, calm and unbothered. โNothing more than the truth.โJulianโs voice rose, livid. โTruth? This is nothing but one of your dirty tricks!โMiles raised a brow, pretending to be confused. โDirty? Hmm. Iโd actually call it a fresh idea.โJulianโs already dark expression grew stormier.Chloe stood beside him, jaw clenched, eyes locked on us with thinly veiled rage. Suddenly, she cut in sharply, โBut wasnโt it Miss White who transferred the 1.2 million to Elmwood?โDolly stepped forward without missing a beat. โThat money was loaned to Eve by me. Got a problem with that?โThat shut them both up.I felt a wave of satisfaction rise in my chest. But I also knew Julian wasnโt going to let this slide so easily.Sure enough, he turned to me, eyes cold. โEve, this is going to court anyway. You can spin the story however you want. Weโll see what the
The moment I saw that elegant, refined face, so striking it felt almost divine, every bit of the frustration Iโd buried surged to the surface.Without a second thought, I rushed into his arms. โMiles!โWarmth enveloped me, and the familiar clean scent of pine wrapped around my senses. My eyes stung instantly.Miles lowered his head, chuckling softly. โWhatโs wrong? You look like a little bunny with those red eyes.โFeeling embarrassed, I gave his chest a light smack. โWhy are you here?โHe studied my face carefully, then gently brushed his fingers across my cheek. โI heard someone was picking on my darling, so I came running.โThat warmth spread through my chest, overflowing, making it hard to hold back tears.He leaned down, his voice low in my ear. โDonโt cry, silly girl.โThen 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. โWhat brin
I turned to Sarah with an apologetic expression. โIโm sorry, Miss Care. It seems Iโm not in a position to work with your company until I sort out my personal matters.โSarah shook her head regretfully. โPlease donโt apologize. Our company is moving forward with expansion this year. Weโve already allocated the available investment slots. If you decide not to investโฆ weโll have to open the opportunity to others.โShe gave me a sympathetic look. โIโm sorry, Miss White. But once this window closes, there will be no further opportunity.โI offered a bitter smile and nodded. โI understand.โDolly was so angry, she could barely hold back a choked sob. โThat shameless bastardโฆ absolutely shameless!โI 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 Iโd ever heard it.โEve, maybe we can talk this through.โโJulian, youโฆ youโre still not done?โ Chloeโs 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. โJulian Moore, do you have no shame? You really dare say that was marital property?! Eve paid for it herself! Youโฆ you're absolutely disgusting!โI could barely stay on my feet, the world tilting around me.โDollyโฆ Iโฆโ 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. โMiss White, donโt worry. We can take this slowly.โI fought to calm my pounding heart and spoke, voice steady but cold. โWhat exactly is it that you want, Mr. Moore?โJulian hesitated for a moment, but soon the polished businessman returned to his