LOGIN“You won’t be my husband for much longer,” Nina said coldly.“That isn’t up to you.”“And you think it’s up to you?”At that, James gave a cold laugh.“Do you have to talk to me like this?”Nina glanced at him with open contempt.“How else am I supposed to talk to you? I’m already being polite.”If she hadn’t been holding herself back, far worse words would have already come out.“Just leave. I have nothing to say to you. If the two of us need to meet again, it’ll be in court.”She couldn’t even be bothered to ask why he had come today.After dismissing him, she turned to leave.But just as she took a step, James suddenly spoke behind her.“What’s the rush? Is someone waiting for you in the room?”Nina stopped instantly.Someone was waiting for her.But not in the filthy way he meant it.His tone was frivolous, suggestive, and completely disrespectful.“What are you implying?” Nina demanded.“Isn’t it obvious?” James stood and walked toward her. “Do I need to remind y
Nina knew exactly why the nurse had come to get her.She had told the nurses in advance that if James showed up, they could turn him away without asking her. That was what they had always done before.So if the nurse had come to tell her this time, it had to mean the situation was getting out of hand.Knowing James and his shameless personality, he had probably tried everything. Pressure, threats, intimidation. Maybe even bribery.If this had been before, Nina wouldn’t have minded going head-to-head with him. She had nothing to fear. Worst case, she could call the police.But today, because Leo was here, she didn’t want to do that.Whether she admitted it or not, somewhere deep down, she still wanted to leave a good impression on him.The messy, ugly, humiliating parts of her life were things she didn’t want him to see.So she turned to Leo and spoke apologetically.“I’m sorry. I need to step out for a bit.”As she spoke, Nina noticed what he was wearing.He looked especiall
“Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand him?” Jane sounded genuinely disappointed. “If he told you that himself, then there probably really isn’t any chance.”Based on what she knew about men, if a man liked a woman, he would be too busy trying to hide his feelings in front of her. Why would he go out of his way to tell her he liked someone else?“I didn’t misunderstand.”Nina had felt strangely upset when she heard it.Even now, thinking back on it, that dull ache in her chest hadn’t completely gone away.But she was sure she had heard him correctly.“All right, then forget it,” Jane said with a sigh. “I just think it’s such a shame. He has everything going for him, and the two of you look so good together. It’s a pity to miss out like this.”“It’s fine.”Nina felt Jane was thinking too far ahead.After all, Leo had already made it clear that he liked someone else. Everything else was just wishful thinking on their part.“Fine.”Jane still thought it was a shame, but there
After hanging up, Leo kept thinking about what Mrs. Taylor Sr. had said.A lot of it didn’t apply to his situation, but that didn’t mean there was nothing useful in it.Since he still wasn’t sure where things stood between Nina and James, there were many things he couldn’t do.But there were also plenty of things that wouldn’t put her in an awkward position.For example, flowers.The next day, when Nina arrived at the hospital room, the first thing she saw was a sea of pale pink and white, along with a faint, clean fragrance.She looked closer and realized the room was filled with pale pink carnations.The flowers were simple and elegant, without any heavy scent. They carried only a soft, gentle fragrance, and just looking at them made the whole room feel calmer.Jane had come with her today.After spending New Year’s Day with her family, she had rushed over to keep Nina company.The moment she saw the room, she could not help exclaiming, “Is this hospital really that fancy?
This time, Leo fell completely silent.“So tell Grandma,” Mrs. Taylor Sr. said. “What’s really holding you back?”Leo didn’t want to tell her that Nina wasn’t divorced yet, so he chose another point that bothered him deeply.“I’m ten years older than she is.”The moment he said that, Mrs. Taylor Sr. went quiet on the other end of the video call.The smile on Mrs. Taylor Sr.’s face faded, replaced by a hint of worry.“Ten years is a pretty big age gap,” she said. “To a girl her age, you might seem a little too old for her. And she’s young and beautiful. I’m sure there are plenty of men around her who are closer to her age.”Leo could say that about himself.But hearing someone else say it immediately rubbed him the wrong way.“So what?” he said. “Anything they can give her, I can give her too. And anything they can’t give her, I can give her that as well.”Mrs. Taylor Sr. noticed the change in his mood and quickly softened her tone.“Grandma isn’t saying you’re old. Well, you
When Nina cried, she made almost no sound.There was no dramatic sobbing, no big reaction.She only lowered her eyes as her long lashes trembled slightly. The tip of her nose turned faintly red, and clear tears slipped silently from the corners of her eyes.Leo could more or less guess why she was crying.After everything she had been through, the emotions she had been holding in for so long had finally found a way out.No matter how strong she was, she was still only a woman in her twenties.His heart ached for her, but he didn’t dare overstep. He only raised a hand and gently touched her hair.“Don’t worry. Everything is fine now. The hardest part is over.”The doctor had already left when Nina started crying, but she still felt embarrassed.This was already the second time today that she had lost control in front of Leo.“I’m sorry. You must think I’m ridiculous.”“How could I?”He only felt sorry for her.“You don’t have to hold back in front of me.”If anyone asked







