"Silly girl, don’t say that."
Justin Kane held her a little tighter, his heart clenching as he tried to soothe her again and again.
Nina Thorne was lost in mory, her face a mask of pain. Tears stread silently down her cheeks as she repeated the sa phrase, her composure crumbling.
"It’s my fault. You don’t understand..."
"It’s all my fault. I caused all of it."
Nina Thorne gripped his clothes, trying desperately to control her emotions, but failed several tis.
Though she didn’t sob out loud, her silent, restrained suffering was heart-wrenching to watch. It made one wish they could bear the pain for her.
"Silly girl, have you forgotten? Don’t bla yourself."
Justin Kane tried to comfort her, but beyond holding her, he was at a loss for words.
His mother-in-law’s death had indeed been too tragic.
Back then, the car crash had been reported extensively by the dia, even plunging new energy vehicles into a scandal for a ti.
Even the Thorne Family and the Grahams of Vistara, who were developing the market together, briefly beca the dia’s focus.
"Your mother adored you. The last thing she would want is to see you sad. Shh, it’s okay..." Justin Kane’s voice was low and husky as he coaxed her affectionately.
Nina Thorne’s emotions spiraled out of control. She leaned weakly against him, completely consud by her mories.
She cried and cried, but she held back her sobs the entire ti, her tears soaking the suit on Justin Kane’s chest.
A dark look of regret flickered in Justin Kane’s eyes. His heart seized again and again, and the pain he felt for her was so intense he nearly ground his teeth to dust.
’I shouldn’t have brought it up!’
After a long while, Nina Thorne’s emotions finally cald.
She had cried herself breathless. Leaning against him, she breathed weakly, her brow furrowed tightly as she suddenly began to murmur in a low voice:
"Mom, I’m sorry..."
"I’m sorry, I’m sorry..."
"I miss Mom so much, Mom..."
Nina Thorne’s small hand kept clutching his suit as soft whimpers escaped her lips.
Justin Kane took a deep breath, his handso face filled with restrained, somber emotion.
Holding the woman in his arms, his gaze intensified. His Adam’s apple bobbed several tis before he lowered his head and pressed kiss after kiss to the crown of her head.
His sharp brows knitted together, his thoughts heavy.
「anwhile.」
April Graham arrived at the mountainside location where Cole Kane had asked to et.
She got out of the car.
April Graham saw Cole Kane leaning against a white comrcial van. From a distance, she noted that while he had a decent air about him, he was nothing compared to Justin Kane.
April Graham snorted coldly and strode up to him in her high heels.
"We’re just discussing a collaboration. Was it really necessary to co to such a remote place?"
Cole Kane dropped his cigarette and stamped it out with his foot. "You know what my older brother is capable of. It’s better to be cautious."
He sneered. "So, how did it go? Nina Thorne lost to you, right? My brother must have been protecting her."
April Graham froze for a few seconds, inwardly surprised.
She had actually been planning to take this opportunity to ask if Nina Thorne was really that skilled.
"Couldn’t it be that I lost to her?"
April Graham watched him probingly, only to see him scoff. "Her? Give a break. If she could beat you, why would she have run off to be so minor screenwriter?"
’He has a point,’ April Graham thought.
As she suspected, she had been played.
Justin Kane was so protective of Nina Thorne, it made her uneasy.
"So what exactly is the relationship between them now? Nina Thorne was your fiancée. You should at least be clear on that, right?"
Cole Kane recalled what he had seen before and hesitated for a mont.
"Nina Thorne is definitely getting close to my brother. She wants to get back at by becoming my sister-in-law."
Cole Kane frowned. "What I’m most worried about right now is that they might actually get married."
April Graham was incredulous. "How is that possible? Justin Kane wouldn’t have such poor taste. Nina Thorne is completely useless. There’s no way he’d like her."
Hearing this, Cole Kane’s expression soured. "Miss Graham, you may be an engineer, but Nina Thorne is not entirely worthless."
Seeing him defend her like that initially annoyed April Graham.
But she quickly grew satisfied. "Fine. For your sake, I’ll stop making fun of her."
"But let ask you, are they really married?"
Cole Kane wasn’t sure.
He wasn’t sure if what Justin Kane had said was true, or if it was just to make him give up on the idea.
But then he rembered that April Graham was the one Justin Kane cared for, and he imdiately concluded that Justin was just using Nina Thorne to provoke April.
"My brother cares about you so much. How could he possibly marry soone else?"
Cole Kane said decisively, "He hasn’t had a single woman by his side for all these years precisely because he was waiting for you. But what on earth happened between you two? Why is my brother so furious?"
Whether it was in the Veridian elite or in Sylport,
they all belonged to the sa social circle, and everyone thought that he and April were the ones ant to be together.
Seeing that even Cole Kane thought so, the anxiety in April Graham’s heart subsided.
"You don’t need to worry about it. In any case, our goals are aligned now. You handle Nina Thorne, and I’ll handle your brother."
That way, it’s a win-win for both of us.
After reaching an agreent, April Graham drove away.
She returned to the Graham Family estate, and before she could even get out of the car, she received a phone call.
"Miss, Mr. Kane... he really is married to Nina Thorne."
"How is that possible?"
April Graham felt a chill run through her entire body. She was so agitated that her voice beca hoarse.
"It’s absolutely true. Mr. Kane concealed the records, so ordinary people can’t find them. It took a great deal of effort to dig this up."
"By the way, I also found a lot of information on Nina Thorne. I’ve sent it to your email."
April Graham’s throat tightened. Her face was pale and grim.
She hung up without another word and opened her email.
After reading it, she was utterly shocked.
Nina Thorne actually...
...really knew how to develop systems.
And she had developed one before she was even ten years old.
April Graham felt a crushing blow.
Dazed, she got out of the car and entered the main hall of the residence. Without so much as a glance at Master Graham sitting in the main seat, she trudged upstairs, completely crestfallen.
Master Graham’s face was stern. "April, why are you being so rude?"
April Graham’s mind was consud with thoughts of Nina Thorne, unable to believe it was true.
She still didn’t hear Master Graham’s voice.
It wasn’t until the butler ca to the foot of the stairs and called out to her, "Young Miss, what’s wrong? The Master is calling for you."
April Graham snapped back to her senses and turned to finally see Master Graham.
She walked over listlessly. "Grandpa, what is it?"
Master Graham’s expression was grave.
"You’re asking what’s wrong? Shouldn’t I be the one asking you?"
"Why the long face? What, is Justin Kane ignoring you? Are you upset?"
For a mont, April Graham didn’t know what to say.
Master Graham let out a hearty laugh. "Ah, you. For so many years, you’ve been wrapped around Justin Kane’s finger. Besides him, I doubt there are many n who can catch your eye."
Then, his tone suddenly shifted.
"But on the night of the birthday banquet, he certainly did a lot to protect that girl from the Thorne Family."
"Speaking of which, that girl is just like you—both of you love computers. But Lady Thorne has a higher aptitude. She developed an intelligent driving system at a very young age."
"What a pity. Not long after, her mother, Mrs. Thorne, was burned alive in a car crash caused by a system malfunction."
"Co to think of it, that was the Graham Family’s first collaboration with the Thorne Family. It was also our last."
April Graham’s eyes flew wide open, and her spirits were instantly revived.
"Grandpa, quickly, tell about what happened back then..."
Master Graham was surprised. "Oh? You’re interested?"
"Alright then, I’ll tell you the story."
Master Graham recounted the events in detail. After listening, April Graham couldn’t hide the ecstatic joy on her face.
’Even the heavens are helping !’
After leaving the tech company in the afternoon, Nina Thorne slept until the next day.
She had nightmares all night.
It was already ten in the morning when she woke up.
Her head was aching. Just as she was about to get up, Justin Kane ca in from outside.
"You’re awake."
Seeing Nina Thorne sit up, he strode to the bedside, his eyes gentle. "You had a fever last night. You should rest in bed today."
’So I had a fever.’
Nina Thorne didn’t try to act tough. She nodded obediently, her voice terribly hoarse when she spoke. "My phone..."
Justin Kane picked up the phone from the nightstand and handed it to her. "I already asked for leave for you from Director Aldridge. The work on his end won’t be delayed."
That was exactly what Nina Thorne had been worried about. Hearing this, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."
"Mrs. Kane is being so formal? I don’t like that."
Justin Kane’s thin lips curved into a slight smile, his voice magnetic and teasing.
He still felt a lingering fear when he thought about how she was last night.
Especially later that night, when she suddenly developed a high fever, crying out "Mom, Mom..."
She cried like a child, soaking her pillow with tears and her pajamas with sweat.
Her anguished state made it clear she was trapped in a nightmare, and she had cried until her voice was gone.
Nina Thorne was still very tired. Her head ached, and her body felt heavy.
She ate sothing, took so dicine, and went back to sleep.
She woke up twice in between.
But she felt as if all her energy had been drained. She was weak and powerless, doing nothing but eating and sleeping.
Justin Kane stayed by her bedside the entire ti, not leaving for a mont, afraid she would have more nightmares.
Before they knew it, it was late at night.
The vibration of Justin Kane’s phone sounded.
He picked up his phone, walked out to the living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows, and answered, "Hello?"
"Mr. Kane, this is bad."
Assistant Cheney’s anxious voice ca through. "Soone is investigating you behind your back, and they’ve accessed your highly confidential files. It seems they’re trying to find out your marital status."
"Also, soone is secretly investigating Mrs. Kane."
Justin Kane’s eyes, looking out the window, reflected the brilliant city lights.
But his gaze was chillingly dark. "Do you know who it is?"
"The Graham Family."
Upon hearing this,
Justin Kane had a vague feeling that sothing was wrong.
His stern expression was covered by shadows, and a cold, imposing aura emanated from him.
"Go investigate. Find out everything April Graham has been doing and everyone she has t."
"Yes, sir."
-
「Two days later」
Nina Thorne’s health had recovered, and she returned to the film set.
The shoot was progressing smoothly and was nearing its end. She could almost call her job done and make a graceful exit.
In addition, Justin Kane’s birthday was in a few days.
During this ti, Nina Thorne had unknowingly grown accustod to him.
She couldn’t tell if it was habit or love.
But she found herself faintly looking forward to announcing their marriage on the night of his birthday.
Nina Thorne decided to return to Sylport early, and after speaking with Director Aldridge, she was given permission.
As it happened, Mr. Cheney sought her out because of a problem with the system.
She hadn’t wanted to go, but since she was about to return to Sylport soon, she went anyway.
After she solved the problem,
Mr. Cheney and the other engineers were completely won over by her.
"Miss Thorne, working as a screenwriter is really a waste of your talent."
"Miss Thorne, are you really not planning to continue developing new energy systems?"
"The new energy vehicle systems currently on the market all have safety hazards, to so degree."
"If only soone could develop a system where, in the event of any malfunction, the priority is to automatically unlock the car doors."
"..."
The speaker may have been casual, but the listener paid close attention.
Nina Thorne’s eyes suddenly lit up. She gave an ambiguous reply, "I think that’s possible."
She was thrilled.
After saying goodbye to them, she hurried out of the tech company, walked through the main gate, and dialed Justin Kane’s number.
"I want to go back to Sylport. Do you want to go back together?"
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