"I told you, I'm not giving up on you," Nash's voice was hoarse, filled with desperation as he clutched Nina's hand tightly. His eyes, now tinged with a deep red, shimmered with the threat of tears. "Even if I have to die, I want to die in front of you. I can't leave you."Nina's heart twisted in pain. After everything they had been through, they should have been able to find peace together, yet so many obstacles still stood in their way."I know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But more than anything, I want you to live. Nash, as long as you're alive, there's still hope. If you die, then everything really is over."In the past five years, she had witnessed too much death, and it left her with a deep fear of it. Just as Nina wanted Nash to live, he, too, wanted nothing more than for her to survive."Nina," he began, his voice a soft plea, "no matter how difficult the road ahead is, if we face it together, we can make it through. I promise, I wonโt let myself die. I'll stay
"I'm not saying I don't support you being with Nina," Pharaoh began, his voice tinged with concern. "I'm just worriedโ""No need to worry," Nina interrupted, quickly stepping forward to join them. "No matter what happens, we'll face it together."Nash's resolve remained unwavering, and Nina could feel the weight of his determination. She had been thinking about protecting him, but he had been thinking about protecting her. If they both cared so deeply about each other, why not stand united and plan for the future together?Nina smiled softly at Nash, then intertwined her fingers with his. Pharaoh, seeing this, sighed and said, "You've made your decision, so I'll do everything in my power to support you. I won't bring this up again.""I can't cure the poison your father gave you, Nash," Pharaoh admitted, "but you can use this to your advantage, to draw him out."Pharaoh understood Dominicโs actions. As a father, he could see why Dominic would push Nash so hard. If Nash refused to
Nash was not planning to kill Dominic or let Salterra fall into ruin. Instead, he intended to wait him out and see who would fold first.Nina, however, decided to approach things differently. She made sure Dominic received his meals on time, even though his attitude toward her was cold and dismissive."You think bringing me food is going to change my mind about you?" Dominic sneered with his tone full of sarcasm.Nina remained calm. "Youโre his father. I donโt want to see you two at odds like this. If youโre willing to talk, we can talk. If not, at least eat."She did not understand why Dominic treated her with such disdain when she had not wronged him.As Dominic studied her, he could not help but notice how different she was from Pharaoh, who had once been consumed by his experiments and ruthlessness. Nina and Nashโs relationship, too, puzzled him.Finally, Nina spoke again, her voice measured and calm. "I know what youโre thinking. You believe that the fiancรฉe you chose for Na
Orion was receiving treatment in Pharaohโs lab, where he would be safe. But Nashโs situation was different. Over the past five years, Nina had honed her survival and self-defense skills. She would not be a burden. She wanted to face life and death together with him.Nash gently patted her head, his voice full of affection, "Alright."On the third day, Dominic finally caved. While Nash and Nina could relentlessly press him, he could not afford the time. Back home, many were eyeing Salterra hungrily. As the president, he could not stay away from his country for too long.He handed Nash the antidote. "Your two brothers would kill to be in your position, but youโre throwing it all away. Youโre just like your mother!"Mother? That word felt foreign to Nash. The only mother he had known was Sally, and he had always wondered why she was so cold towards him. It was not until he overheard a heated argument between Sally and William that he learned the truth that he was not her biologi
"Why don't we send troops to attack the Yaren Tribe and bring the Third Prince back?" "Even though Nash and Remi haven't held an engagement ceremony, everyone knows theyโre engaged. Now that Nash refuses to return, where does that leave our Remiโs reputation?" ......Everyone had something to say, one after the other. Dominic pressed his lips together, his voice icy, "There's no need to create another enemy right now." "But we have heavy weapons at our disposal. What do we have to fear? If it comes down to it, we could start a world war!" "Exactly! If we don't strike back, others will think Salterra is weak. Even the Yaren Tribe has already shed its wolfโs skin." "I think the real problem lies with that Yaren witch. If we eliminate her, wouldnโt that solve everything?" Dominic remained silent, his expression cold and indifferent. However, he could not deny the truth in their words. The fact was, Nash had not returned, and now Remi was the target of gossip. Th
Micah had always hoped Nina would stay in the Yaren Tribe.Even if Nina never lifted a finger for the rest of her life, Micah would still make sure she lived in comfort and security. And once Orion was healthy, he would become more lively, make friends, grow up, get married, and have children. His future would be brighter in the tribe. However, Nina wanted to return to Birkham, so she needed to make Micah aware of her intentions ahead of time, "I'll need your help with Father. I plan to take Orion back to Birkham.""Nina, what did you say?" Micah grasped her shoulders, suddenly filled with emotion. Since discovering Pharaoh was her biological father, Nina had never acknowledged him as such. But now, by referring to him as "Father," it was clear she was starting to accept him. If just hearing Nina call him "Father" thrilled Micah this much, he could only imagine how overjoyed Pharaoh would be.Nina lowered her head, her face flushing with warmth, feeling a bit awkward. Memo
If it weren't for Nina's warm and kind nature, she never would have given the bracelet to Wilfred. And he, in turn, would not have given it back to her later. Without that bracelet, Micah would not have recognized her. If that had happened, Miranda would have continued to take her place, and the consequences would have been unimaginable. "That's all in the past," Nina said softly. This was partly due to Nash's advice, and she also thought of Orion. Other children had grandparents so why should Orion be the exception? As parents, she and Nash had not been there for Orion the way they should have. Now that the family was finally coming together, why should Orion be left with any regrets?Micah said firmly, "No, it's not in the past. Father and I will always owe you, Nina. I want to throw a recognition ceremony for you."Micahโs idea was straightforward. While his close confidants knew Nina was Pharaohโs daughter, not everyone in the Yaren Tribe was aware of her identity. He had
But as a mother, how could she just stand by and watch her child undergo surgery? Nina shook her head. "I canโt go into the operating room. Iโฆ Nash, Iโm really scaredโฆโ"I know. I understand," Nash replied gently. "But, Nina, our Orion has already been through so much. That tiny chance of something going wrong wonโt happen to him. And trust in our fatherโs skill, okay?""Yes, Nina, and Iโll be there too, assisting Pharaoh." Wilfred chimed in, trying to reassure her, though seeing them together pained him. His priority, however, was Ninaโs well-being. He would do everything in his power to ensure Orionโs surgery went smoothly.Nina felt a wave of warmth in her eyes. From the time she was poisoned until now, Wilfred had been by her side. She was deeply touched.She gently released Nashโs hand. "Iโd like to talk to Wilfred for a moment.""Iโll go check on Orion then," Nash said, tenderly brushing a hand over Ninaโs hair. He had wanted to kiss her, but with Wilfred there, he und
But instead of feeling touched, Veraโs first reaction was nausea. A wave of discomfort surged up from her stomach, and Veraโs face paled. She bolted for the bathroom. Caleb followed quickly. โAre you feeling sick?โ โI donโt think so. Iโve been eating normallyโnothing too heavy or weird lately.โ Vera clutched her stomach, just as confused as he was. Then, a possibility flashed through her mind. Caleb clearly had the same thought. Without a word, he turned and walked into their bedroom, returning moments later with a pregnancy test. Vera looked at him, stunned. โWhen did you buy that?โ He responded matter-of-factly, โBetter safe than sorry.โ Vera was momentarily speechless. Five minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. It was positive. They had only been married for three months. How did this happen so fast?Caleb, on the other hand, remained composedโat le
Of course, Vera wasnโt about to dump all her responsibilities on her assistant. That would be exploitation. She called her assistant into her office. โYouโre twenty-five this year, right?โ Her assistant blinked, confused. Wasnโt her age common knowledge? Why was Vera suddenly bringing it up? A thought struck her. Was this an arranged marriage situation? Her face immediately filled with silent refusal. โMiss Vera, Iโm still young. Iโm not thinking about marriage anytime soon.โ Vera tapped her pen against the desk. โIโm not telling you to get married.โ โOh.โ โI just want to offload some of the smaller daily tasks to you. You donโt have to run every minor document by me.โHer assistant instantly understood. A raise. After confirming she was on board, Vera gave her a salary bump and had her hire a few more assistants to distribute the workload. โIf I donโt have time to handle everything, you guys will take care of it. If somethingโs too complicated, jus
Vera could sense danger the moment the conversation turned in this direction. Her father had never questioned her about married life, and she was lucky enough to avoid nosy relatives. But just because she hadnโt experienced it firsthand didnโt mean she hadnโt seen it happen to others. Without hesitation, she abandoned the half-folded pastry in her hands. โI... uh, need to use the restroom.โ Before she could escape, Mrs. Smith caught her wrist. โYou and Caleb arenโt getting any younger,โ she said matter-of-factly. โYou should start thinking about kidsโmake sure youโre putting in the effort, hmm?โ Vera left the kitchen visibly drained. Mrs. Smith was a wonderful mother-in-law, the kind who treated Vera like her own daughter. Despite knowing Vera came from a well-off family, she had still gifted them a house as a wedding present. Of course, Caleb already owned a place, but his mother had insisted. โThatโs your house. This is the home Iโm giving you as a weddi
That undeniable possessiveness flickered in Calebโs gazeโsubtle yet impossible to ignore. It was the kind of look a powerful man might give his beloved in an old Hollywood film. And right now, the photographer felt like the unlucky bystander who had accidentally stumbled upon an intimate scene. His voice wavered slightly, caught up in his own imagination. โMr. Smith, lift your eyes toward the camera.โ Calebโs sharp gaze flickered over, intense and commanding. The photographer instinctively pressed the shutter. They continued with several more poses, reviewing the shots as they went. Vera loved them all, but her favorite was still the vintage-inspired one. โHow long until we get the final prints?โ she asked. โTwo to three days at most,โ the photographer replied. โIโll have them shipped directly to you.โ Then, after a slight pause, he hesitated before making a request. โI actually have a personal favor to askโwould you both be open to letting us displa
Vera was tempted. They had already taken plenty of wedding photosโseveral sets at the island, more at the wedding itself. But this wasnโt just any photo studio. It was privately booked and known for being one of the most prestigious studios in the city. Appointments here were nearly impossible to get. The fact that Caleb had managed to secure a session meant he had gone to great lengths to make it happen. If they were just going to take ordinary wedding pictures, it would be a waste of an opportunity. Still, she wasnโt sure what kind of shoot she wanted. The photographer, understanding her hesitation, pulled out a sample album. โYou can take a look at our past work. These are some of the styles weโve done.โ Flipping through the pages, Vera saw an array of stunning conceptsโeach picture more breathtaking than the last. Then, one particular set caught her eye. A Golden Age Hollywood theme.It was classic, nostalgic, and beautifully atmospheric. โCa
After the wedding, Vera considered taking some time off for a honeymoon. But the thought quickly faded when she realized Caleb had been practically living at the hospital. With a sigh, she dismissed the idea. She was used to it, but to say she wasnโt disappointed would be a lie. Her assistant picked up on it. โMrs. Smith, donโt you want to go on a honeymoon?โ she asked one day. โOne of my friends just got married, and sheโs been obsessively researching destinations. โShe even said a marriage without a honeymoon is already half a failure.โ Vera froze mid-page, suddenly losing interest in the documents she had been reviewing. Her assistant hesitated, then offered a suggestion. โWhy donโt you go visit Dr. Smith at work?โYou seemโฆ distracted. Maybe seeing him will help.โ Vera snapped out of her daze, suddenly aware of how preoccupied she had been lately. It was embarrassing to admit, but she had been zoning out far too oftenโespecially after coming hom
Whenever they did this in the past, Caleb always maintained some restraint. But tonightโhe didnโt hold back at all. He took her from the bedroom to the bathroom, then back to the bed, his searing kisses trailing every inch of her skin. The next morning, even as she woke up, Vera could still feel the lingering traces of last nightโs intoxicating pleasure. As expected, she ended up taking the day off. It wasnโt until two days later that she finally returned to work. *Everyone at the company had already prepared for this. The moment Vera walked into the office, she was greeted with knowing smiles and teasing remarks. โCongratulations, Mrs. Smith!โ โNewlywed bliss, huh?โ โThree whole days off? Someone had a good time.โ It didnโt take a genius to figure out what she had been up to. Obviously, her married life was going exceptionally wellโso well that she had completely abandoned work for it. Under the weight of their mischievous stares, Vera barely k
Yelena still hadnโt accepted Hunter, but he wasnโt giving up either and was relentlessly closing in on her. Knowing Yelenaโs soft heart, Vera figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in. She let out a sigh. Her friendโs love life wasnโt something she could interfere with. Besides, Caleb had already given her a little inside scoop. โShe came to the hospital for a follow-up a few days ago,โ he had mentioned casually. โHunter was the one who brought her.โ Vera had clicked her tongue at the news. Yelena always seemed quiet and reserved, but apparently, she was full of surprises.*Time flew by in the blink of an eye.By mid-month, Caleb had rented out an entire vineyard and spent several days transforming it into the perfect wedding venue.When the day arrived, the celebration took place right there.The vineyard was sprawling and elegant, every bit as grand as any luxury hotelโif not better. Even the wine cellar remained untouched, stocked with years-
โDid you plan this from the start?โ Vera narrowed her eyes, feeling like she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. โMm.โ Caleb smiled, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Because yesโhe had always been planning this. The biggest change in Veraโs life after the island proposal was the ring now sitting on her finger. It wasnโt just any ring. It was custom-made, something Caleb had specially ordered. She only found out by accident when she glanced at his phone one day and saw the purchase record. It had been ordered two months ago. Vera did the math and was stunned. He had been preparing for this long before she even started getting impatient. Her heart swelled with emotion. And as soon as Calebโs parents heard that their son had finally proposed, they wasted no time pushing them to get the marriage license. *One day, Vera overheard Calebโs mother lecturing him. โYour dad and I werenโt expecting much from you. With how much ti