Chapter 3

No one would have thought that Miles Jackson, VP of Jackson Corporation, second son of the powerful Jackson family, and a commanding figure in the business world, was still using a profile picture of a little cartoon puppy.

It was a matching profile picture they had set seven years ago, the day they officially became a couple.

Back then, Miles had been full of youthful charm. She could still remember what he had said to her.

“Nina, from now on, let me stay by your side forever.

“I’m willing to be your little puppy for life.”

He had changed his profile picture that very night. Under the glow of a streetlamp, he had kissed her tenderly and shyly.

It had been their very first kiss.

*

Thinking back, Nina’s heart ached. She opened her phone and quietly changed her profile picture.

The old matching profile picture — a simple cartoon of a girl with her puppy — was replaced with a smiling Cinnamoroll holding a four-leaf clover.

The internet said it was a lucky picture.

She could only hope some luck would finally come her way.

The next second, the doorbell rang.

Nina’s phone buzzed right after, lighting up with a message.

“Honey, I’m still waiting (puppy eyes emoji). It’s so cold tonight…”

Outside, in the chilly late autumn night, Miles leaned against his car in nothing but a thin black shirt.

The moment he saw that Nina had changed her profile picture, a flash of pain crossed his eyes.

He pressed his lips together, unable to hide the hurt.

From the second-floor window, Nina looked down.

She spotted him instantly. His head was lowered, eyes fixed on his phone as he waited anxiously for her reply.

Only a window separated them. So close, yet so far.

As if sensing her gaze, Miles suddenly looked up. His eyes met Nina’s.

He lit up. “Honey!”

In response, Nina’s face stayed cold.

With a quick motion, she yanked the curtains shut.

“Miles Jackson, I’m not going to see you. Go home.”

She sent the message, turned off her phone, and lay down in bed.

Her gaze was fixed on the drawn curtains and she didn’t sleep at all that night.

*

The next morning, as soon as the sun came up, Nadia woke.

She turned, only to find the space beside her empty.

Her heart jumped. “Nina!”

She rushed downstairs, too panicked to even put on her shoes.

Thankfully, she spotted that familiar figure in the kitchen and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Nina forced a smile. “What’s the rush?”

As she spoke, she pulled a warmed breakfast from the microwave.

“Don’t worry. I’m not stupid enough to risk my life over a man.”

She hadn’t been able to sleep anyway. Lying in bed would have only made her feel worse. It was better to get up and do something.

After breakfast, they tidied up a bit. But the moment they opened the door, Miles was still outside.

“Honey…”

One night later, he looked even more haggard than Nina.

Dark circles shadowed his otherwise striking features, and faint stubble lined his jaw.

Even so, his good looks remained. The exhaustion on his face made him appear more human, stripped of the high-and-mighty aura he usually carried.

Nadia immediately stepped in front of Nina to block him.

If looks could kill, Miles would have been cut to pieces on the spot.

“What are you doing here?”

Miles’s voice was hoarse. “I came to see my wife.

“Honey…”

Just one night apart, and his eyes clung to Nina like glue.

“I have my reasons. That child is important to me. I’ll agree to anything you want—as long as it’s not about getting rid of the baby. Please?”

Nina let out a cold laugh. “I want a divorce. Will you agree to that?”

Miles’s gaze dimmed. “Anything but a divorce…”

“Ha!”

Nadia snapped, cutting him off.

“Didn’t you just say you’d agree to anything? Now this you won’t? You’re unbelievable. Wanting it all, huh?

“What’s next? Are you secretly dying of leukemia and trying to save yourself with umbilical cord blood from a newborn?”

Nadia wanted nothing more than to jab her finger right in Miles’s face and curse him out. The words that came out of her mouth were as sharp and harsh as she could make them.

“A pathetic creep like you really has the nerve to stand here making excuses?

“I must’ve been blind. I actually thought you were someone Nina could trust with her life. Turns out, men really are all the same.

“You cheated. Why not just get divorced like an adult? Why come here and cling like this? Disgusting.

“And stop calling her ‘Honey.’ It makes my skin crawl. Isn’t your wife that Mia-whatever-her-name-is? You already have a kid on the way, Mr. Jackson. Impressive.”

Every word dripped with sarcasm.

Miles’s face darkened, the expression on it downright terrifying. But even as Nadia ripped into him, he forced himself to hold back for Nina’s sake.

He tried to explain.

“It was an accident with Mia,” he said again, clinging to the same excuse.

“I won’t get a divorce.”

Nina was tired.

“If you want that child, fine. I won’t stop you.”

She didn’t have the energy or patience to stand here in the sun, arguing over who was right, who was wrong, or what was a misunderstanding.

She had given Miles his chance to make things right. He was the one who had wasted it.

“But I’m not that generous. I’m not about to tolerate my husband having an illegitimate child with another woman.

“If you refuse to cooperate, then there’s nothing left for us to discuss.

“Nadia, let’s go.”

Nadia shot Miles a look of utter contempt, as if she couldn’t despise him more.

She helped Nina into the car and hit the gas, speeding away.

Miles stood frozen in place, watching the car disappear. The image of Nina’s determined expression gnawed at him, like a thousand ants crawling under his skin.

He didn't move a muscle until his phone rang.

It was his assistant, Levi.

“Mr. Jackson, your wife and Miss Gibson just arrived at a law firm.”

Miles’s grip on the phone tightened. Veins bulged on the back of his hand.

Finally, he let out a cold laugh. “Without my permission, who would dare take on my divorce case?”

His Nina was still so naive and adorable.

Divorce?

Not a chance.

He had only made the same mistake that any man in the world could make.

If he hadn’t been drugged and out of his mind that night, no other woman would have ever gotten near him.

It was never about betraying Nina. Whether she could have children or not, he had never had a single thought of betraying her.

Mia’s pregnancy had been an accident.

But since it had happened, he would deal with it.

And besides, with his grandfather pushing him so hard to have a child, having this baby would make life much easier for both him and Nina within the Jackson family.

Levi caught on immediately.

“I understand, Mr. Jackson. I’ll take care of it.”

“And one more thing. Contact Director Zeller. Tell him to keep his people in line. They have no business meddling in someone else’s family matters. If they’re so bored, find them something else to do.”

“Mr. Jackson…” Levi hesitated.

“Miss Gibson is Mrs. Jackson’s only friend. She needs her right now. If we interfere, and Mrs. Jackson finds out…”

Miles cut him off coldly.

“My wife does not need someone in her ear pushing her toward divorce. Do you understand that, Levi?”

He could tolerate Nadia staying close to Nina. He could even tolerate her standing up for her and yelling in his face.

But this one thing?

Absolutely not.