2026-07-11 18:24:53
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23. The Man At The Gate
“Miss Nora… breakfast is ready.” A soft knock echoed against the wooden door. It made Nora wake up from her sleep. Nora slowly opened her eyes, blinking several times as the morning sunlight streamed through the small window in the servants’ quarters. She didn’t know where she was. Then reality brought her back to her senses. She was no longer Mrs. Hawthorne. She had spent the night in the smallest room in Steven’s grand house. Her chest felt tight, and realized her situation right now was hurting her. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the plain white blanket covering her legs. Just yesterday… she had begged Steven to let her stay. Now she finally understood. Staying close to him… didn’t mean staying by his side. Not even changed Steven's mind. It meant watching him treat her like a complete stranger. Nora quietly wiped the dried tears from her cheeks before standing up. “I deserve this…” She whispered to herself. No one answered. A few m
22. She Doesn't Deserve A Bed
“Steven... I’ve taken care of everything.” Nora stood silently outside the office, her voice barely louder than a whisper. It was almost midnight. The grand house had fallen into total silence, with only the ticking of an antique clock echoing through the hallway. Her eyes were swollen from crying. Her shoulders ached after hours of organizing hundreds of confidential documents. Even her fingers trembled from exhaustion. Leon took the stack of files from her hands before examining them one by one. He carefully flipped through each folder. A few minutes later, he nodded respectfully to Steven. “Everything is correct, sir.” Steven remained seated behind his desk, calmly reading another financial report. He didn’t even bother to look at Nora. “She’s slower than I expected.” Those words felt like another slap in the face. Nora lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I… did my best.” Steven continued reading for a few more seconds before finally closing the folder in
21. The First Order
The dining room fell silent as soon as Ryan was escorted out. Only the faint clinking of cutlery echoed throughout the vast mansion. Nora remained seated exactly where Steven had instructed her to sit. Her fingers rested restlessly in her lap while her eyes remained cast downward. She didn’t dare look at him again. Steven, on the other hand, calmly continued eating. Every movement was so graceful. Each cut of his steak was made slowly and deliberately. It was as if Ryan had never burst into the mansion. As if the desperate plea from just moments ago meant absolutely nothing. To Steven, that plea truly meant nothing at all. Nora swallowed hard. Her appetite had long since vanished, but she forced herself to finish every bite because Steven had ordered her to do so. She no longer dared to disobey him. A few minutes passed… Steven finally placed his fork and knife neatly beside his plate before wiping his lips with a napkin. Only then did he lift his gaze t
CHAPTER 20
Nora's grip faltered. Her breath caught in her throat.Meanwhile, Steven... A small smile appeared, faint—but very cruel."Let him in."Ryan then appeared with the door open in a hurry. His face was haggard, his hair messy, his breathing labored, his eyes red. He clearly hadn't slept well since the scandal broke.As soon as he saw Nora, he was shocked, then looked at Steven with a mixture of fear and anger.“Steven… we need to talk.”Steven just cut his steak calmly. "I'm having dinner with my ex-wife, the one you manipulated on.""You ruined my life!" Ryan's voice trembled with panic, ignoring Steven's words. "That photo—the comments—everyone is attacking me! You have to stop!""I have to?" Steven raised his eyebrows slowly. The tone of voice was like the most subtle yet most piercing mockery.Ryan approached, almost like a drowning man reaching for a lifeline."Please," he said softly. "I... I don't have a job anymore. The brand terminated my contract... my family's reputation i
CHAPTER 19
Steven's office was quiet. Only the sound of his typing could be heard—calm, steady, even elegant, as if he were signing a contract, not destroying someone.On his laptop screen, notifications popped up one by one:"Ryan Thomas is just riding on someone else's fame!""How embarrassing. A grown man crying and apologizing.""Thank God he's not my boyfriend."Comments continue to multiply, spreading like wildfire.Steven read everything without expression. There was only a small smile—cold, emotionless.He tapped the table once."Finally, the public sees him as he truly is," he muttered softly.Leon froze near the door, clearly understanding that Steven was in his most dangerous mode."All done, sir.""Not yet," Steven replied flatly. "This is just the beginning, and it will continue to be so."He turned off the screen, stood up, grabbed his black coat, and walked out of the office as if he had just finished attending a regular meeting.It was as if he hadn't just humiliated a man in fro
CHAPTER 18
His eyes stared at Nora intently. They no longer looked at her with love. Even if Steven still loved her, he would not show it. He then slowly put down his spoon, as if testing Nora's courage.Then he leaned forward slightly."Say again," he said softly.Nora flinched slightly."S-Steven, I... I want to—""No," he cut her off coldly. "Not that. Repeat what you just said, without trembling."Nora bit her lip.Her eyes were watering, but Steven's gaze forced her to remain sitting upright."If I want to satisfy you, will you let me sleep here, Steven?"Steven smiled faintly.It wasn't a sweet smile—but the smile of a man who had just made sure someone was kneeling in the right place."Finally," he said softly. "You're starting to speak honestly."Nora looked down, holding back the tears and shame that burned her throat.She had lowered her pride as much as possible in order to be with Steven again.Unfortunately, Steven was not easily moved. He wanted to teach Nora a lesson for what sh
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