The Latecomer Novels & Stories

That woman had once held Nathaniel’s heart, and Cassandra couldn’t bear the thought of being overshadowed by her again, especially not tonight, when the entire business world was watching. Nathaniel returned to the table, glancing briefly at his watch. “Strange,” he said softly. “Adrian’s never late for official meetings. Something must’ve come up.” Cassandra forced a smile. “Maybe he’s busy showing off his perfect wife,” she said sarcastically. Nathaniel gave her a sharp look. “Don’t start, Cassandra. Tonight isn’t the time.” Her fake smile didn’t waver, but her jaw tightened. “Of course,” she murmured, taking another sip of her wine.

He stared at me as if he had been surviving on the memory of my face for years. I didn't break down. I didn't scream. I didn't even feel the rage I once thought would never leave me. I simply looked at him the way one looks at a stranger from a past life. "Evelyn, I only have half a day," Adrian said when I didn't answer. He took an urgent step forward, but the women from my hiking group immediately moved closer, wary and protective. "I have to leave soon." He gave a self-mocking laugh and slowly lifted the hem of his pant leg.

Victoria Graham told me we'd have to postpone getting our marriage license again just as I was picking up my fork. Victoria set down her cutlery, her tone as casual as if she were commenting on the weather. "Next time." I took a bite, chewed, and swallowed. "Okay." She glanced at me, then lowered her head and reached for another bite. Before taking it, she looked up at me again. "You're not angry?" I took another bite and answered calmly, "I'm not." We'd been engaged for six months, and this was the 17th time she'd postponed getting our marriage license. She was used to it. So was I. I ate slowly and finished my meal, one mouthful at a time. She didn't touch her food again. After ta

After I took another knife for him and lost another pregnancy, Leander Croft finally agreed to marry me. On the day of the wedding, the bridal car never arrived. I only received a phone call from kidnappers who demanded my life in exchange for his. His voice crackled through the line, broken and faint. "Mila, just live. Do not come for me..." A kidnapper cut him off in the next second. "Mila Carver, do you want him alive? Get the ransom ready, then jump off Seaview Bridge." I ran back to my room to gather the money. When I opened the safe, I found a thick stack of documents titled "The Mila Carver Atonement Plan." It turned out that seven years earlier, the first time Leander had been

He stood like someone at the top looking down—clearly saw through their schemes, but never outright exposed them. He played along like a cat with a mouse. And by the time the mouse realized what was happening, it was already too late. “It’s 9:30, getting late. I’m heading back to rest.” Clemens stood up from the sofa. Andrew quickly followed suit, and the rest of the group stood up as well. Yuan: “So early, Mr. Clemens?” “Good health starts with good habits,” Clemens said with a friendly smile. Then, as if remembering something, added, “You should try closing the barn door before the sheep are gone.”

Just as I thought such peaceful days would continue, Niall unexpectedly appeared before me. The gallery director informed me that a VIP customer wanted to purchase several paintings. He asked me to introduce them to the paintings we had for sale and negotiate the purchase. I never expected that the said customer would be Niall Luther. He looked like he had not been faring well since I last saw him. He had an untidy beard, his hair was rumpled, and at a glance, he just looked unkempt. In the past, he would refuse to wear his leather shoes if I did not polish them to a shine. In fact, he would even get mad at me for doing a less-than-perfect job of it.

I stayed up until midnight, and my father finally came home from work. I went to see him, my luggage in tow. There was nothing but crude, out-of-fashion clothes inside. My grandfather gave them to me the day before the Marlins found me. When the town's girls passed by our home, they laughed hysterically and called me a bumpkin. My grandfather heard that, and he was quiet for the longest time. And then he went out alone.

I completed my internship when someone caught me kissing my boyfriend and the director, James Porter, in the parking garage. A photo appeared in the company group chat soon after. To protect my chance at becoming a permanent employee, he denied everything in front of the entire office. "The woman in the photo isn't her. She's my childhood friend." His childhood friend stepped forward and took responsibility for the office‑romance rumor. She had one condition. James Porter had to complete 100 couple challenges with her. Once they finished all of them, she would clear our names and explain the truth. James held me in his arms and comforted me. "Baby, it's only 100 things. Once we're don

he asked jokingly. “You’re quite humorous, Mr. Luther,” I replied coldly. “I was just helping you find a hidden camera. In case your intimate moments here are captured and sent to the Luther family, I'd be the unlucky one."

Unlike Yelena, there was no hint of hostility in her eyes when she looked at Bethany. “Wow, you’re so pretty! No wonder Hudson likes you so much. I like you too!” Nicole even shared a little secret with her. “Hudson came back to work here just to find you. He was almost a bit late. Luckily, you two ended up together! If you hadn’t, he would’ve cried for sure.” When Bethany was in middle school, Hudson had moved overseas with his parents. They gradually lost touch. She only heard about him from her mother once in a while. He had gotten into a top university abroad at seventeen, earned two master’s degrees by twenty-two, and started teaching at a university.