บททั้งหมดของ No More Loving in Vain: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 8

After I was reborn, I left Darius Sterling alone. But the leg I had injured for his sake when I confessed last month still throbbed from time to time. The night before our engagement was finalized, the pain was still unbearable. I was about to reach for some ointment when Darius walked in with a bottle of medicine. He didn't say a word. Instead, he gently applied the ointment to my leg. The tenderness of his touch made my heart skip a beat. "Natalia, stop hurting yourself just to make me love you. You need to take better care of yourself," said Darius. His words caught me off guard, and bitterness spread through my chest. That was how he was—gentle, yet always pushing me away. I used to think he was just reserved. However, after Celeste Reyes died, I realized he had kept me at arm's length because he didn't love me. When I didn't respond, his tone sharpened. "Say something! Natalia Blackwood, I'll only say this once. If you ever do this to yourself again, I won't save you.

The Moretti women turned on me in fury, snapping at me to stay out of it. Celeste froze in shock, too. I quickly stepped forward to shield her with my body. When I saw her face still unscarred, I finally exhaled in relief. I barked, "Find my father! Tell him to come help me. Now!" Celeste froze for a moment, then ran off, trembling.…Meanwhile, I clenched my jaw, steeling myself to face the Morettis alone. The moment they saw Celeste running, their fury boiled over. One of them raised her gun and fired. The bullet pierced my calf, and pain ripped through me so violently that I dropped to one knee. Seeing me in agony only made them sneer. "I've hated you for a long time," a woman spat. "We were going to get rid of Celeste first, then deal with you. But look at that, you came running into our hands."No sooner had she spoken than another bullet struck my thigh. The pain tore through me, and my grip on the gun faltered. At that moment, Celeste came running back, clutchin

Celeste walked up to Darius, then hooked her arm through his. "Natalia has gone to New Verden. I'm your new bride-to-be! Are you surprised?"His eyes widened upon hearing that, and his breath hitched. Moments later, he shoved her aside before bolting out of the bridal shop in a frenzy.…After arriving in New Verden, I quickly settled in and resumed control of the company. That day, during a business meeting, I was stunned to find that my new partner was a childhood friend—Sebastian Thorne. It had been years since I last saw him, and he had grown into a strikingly handsome man. Conversation flowed easily, and before we knew it, evening had fallen. When Sebastian offered to drive me home, I accepted.But the moment I stepped outside, I saw Darius. It had been ages, yet he was still that same composed, aloof man. Except now, his red-rimmed eyes and trembling hands gave away his unease. He approached me, his voice low as he asked, "Natalia, why did you leave without a word? Wh

I shook my head, but my chest tightened. Then, my father said, "I can see that Darius truly loves you. It's just that he doesn't realize it. Have you really let him go?"I hesitated for a moment before nodding with determination. …That night, I stayed in the wine cellar and dug into the affairs of Darius' family. It turned out that members of the Sterling family had betrayed their own, stealing core technology and handing it over to the Moretti family of Eastbourne.The Morettis used it to coerce Darius into marrying Katherine Moretti. However, he refused and made it clear to the world that the only woman he loved was me. Though Darius was overwhelmed with work back home, he remained unwavering in interviews. "The Sterlings may be going through turbulent times, but we won't let the Morettis hold us hostage. We will weather this storm," he declared. "My marriage will never be a stepping stone for gain. It will be built on love, and there's only one woman I want to marry.