Hello Again, Nina

On the day of Charles Green’s birthday party, he put a diamond ring on Lilu Ximmer’s finger. Lilu stared at the ring and felt flattered. “Charles, are you really going to divorce her and marry me?” Charles raised an eyebrow in amusement. “I’m single.” We had been married for three years, but Charles, my husband, never once acknowledged me as his wife. It was because I caused his sister’s death. If I had not held Charles back and refused to let him go, perhaps his sister could have been saved. That was why I was the reason for his sister’s death. I always thought that he hated me, until one day… Chapter 1 I dragged my luggage out of the room and cast a final glance at the bedroom I had shared with Charles for three years. I felt no reluctance to leave the place, only sadness. When we had just gotten married, I was the only one who liked the place. Since our marriage was ending, I was still the only one who felt sad over it. In the three years I was married to Charles, all he felt for me was endless disgust, and he tormented me just as relentlessly. From the moment I insisted on marrying Charles, I should have guessed that our marriage would end in tragedy since it had started as a trade deal. I opened the door to the back passenger’s seat. A familiar voice rose behind me. It sounded anxious. “Where are you going?” I turned to him and said expressionlessly, “I’ve made myself clear, Charles. It’s over between us.” “I didn’t agree to it.” “We’re husband and wife only in name. Since we never got an official marriage certificate, I don’t need you to agree to a separation.” Charles said nothing. Instead, he took my luggage out of the boot and dragged me back into the villa. I wanted to break free, but his grip was like a vice. Even if I used all my strength and ended up hurting myself, I still would not be able to break free. “Let me go! You always looked down on me because I kept pestering you to be with me, anyway! I’ve let it go now and won’t bother you again!” Seeing that he was going to drag me inside, I turned to the Uber driver and pleaded to him, “Sir, please help me!” The driver stood in front of his car and mustered his courage to say, “Sir, the lady doesn’t want to go with you—” “Get lost!” Charles’s furious roar interrupted the driver. He radiated a terrifying, murderous aura. It terrified the driver so much that he drove off. My only hope of leaving was gone. I did not tell anyone that I was going to leave. I even sent the servants and the maid away. How did Charles get here? Did he fly here? Just a moment ago, he was glued to the side of another beautiful woman. I had packed up beforehand and wanted to give him a dignified birthday party before I left. When I arrived at the villa, I did not linger. Somehow, he made it back so quickly. “What on earth are you planning, Charles? Your sister’s death has nothing to do with me. I didn’t kill her! Why won’t you believe me? “I don’t love you anymore and don’t want to bother you either. Why won’t you just let me go?” As I spoke, my eyes welled up with tears. All the sadness that I had suppressed over the years instantly surged to the surface, and my tears streamed down my face, much to my disappointment. Charles’s parents seldom stuck their noses into their children’s business. Helen Green, his sister, had raised him singlehandedly, so they had a very close bond. Helen died on our wedding day. Charles thought I was so obsessively in love with him that I could not tolerate Helen anymore. He thought I poisoned her. So, he hated me to the core. … “Let you go? Never.” His words struck me like a lightning bolt. Charles had said the same thing in the past. At that time, his entire being was filled with rage and hatred. At present, however, his eyes were filled with tears. His rage had subsided, and his eyes shone with an emotion that I could not understand. Chapter 2 Was he regretting it? There was no way. I grew up with him. I swore when I was a child that he was going to be the only man I would marry, so I was the one who pursued him. After I got together with him, Charles was neither good nor bad to me. He did not love me. At most, he perhaps liked me a little. When Helen was poisoned, he fled from the wedding, and I did not hold it against him. I only learned later that our marriage was a trade deal and a scheme. But at that time, I did not understand the intricacies behind it. I only knew that if I did not go through with the wedding ceremony that day, I would not be able to do it ever because Charles would not want to go through with it, So, I went through with it on my own. I ended up becoming a joke shared among the rich during their tea parties. Even so, I still loved Charles. In the first year of our marriage, I saw him confess to another woman. He did so with a car full of roses and jewelry. The woman had never seen such a grand confession before and was so touched that she wept. Charles gently wiped her tears away. When he saw me, he walked over to me with a smile that was reserved for the other woman. He asked coldly, “What is it?” “My subsidiary card is frozen.” He took out his wallet from his pocket and took out a wad of cash. I reached out to him, but before I could grab it, he let go. The cash fluttered to the ground. He ignored it and left with the other woman in his arms. When I leaned down to pick up the cash, I heard the woman asking about me. “Who is she?” His voice grew colder and was filled with a little disgust. “Just a simp.” Indeed. Despite being a daughter of a rich family, I had to ask him for money. After we got married, he did not allow me to work. To make it seem like I was in a happy marriage, I did not dare talk to my parents about my troubles. In the second year of our marriage, he changed girlfriends often. A few days ago, he brought Lilu Ximmer back home. It was his birthday. Since I went to pick up his favorite Elysees cake, I was late. When I arrived in front of the partially shut door to the private room, I saw Lilu leaning against Charles’s arms as she chuckled. “Charles, is your wife as gentle and considerate as I am?” Charles said mockingly, “She can’t even compare to a strand of your hair.” Then, he took out a one-carat diamond ring and slid it on her ring finger. … Lilu stared at the ring and felt flattered. “Charles, are you really going to divorce her and marry me?” Charles raised an eyebrow in amusement. “I’m single.” “I don’t think you know this, Lilu, but Nina Springfield is a disgrace to the upper-class society.” “That’s right. No woman is as shameless as she is. She threw a wedding with no groom!” “No matter what, Nina loves Charles. How could you say that about her?” said Titus Jenkins. He was one of Charles’s friends and the only person who showed me basic decency. “Honestly, Nina is quite pretty.” “She has a nice figure too. Whenever she shows up, all the men can’t help but stare. It’s a pity that she’s so dumb.” “Charles, if you ever get bored with her, just let me have her.” “Yeah. I’d like to play with her.” They laughed. Even when his friends insulted me, he just watched. I pushed the door open and slammed the cake down on the table. A few of them got caught in the mess of the splattered cake. Peter Newman was worse off than the others. He was another one of Charles’s friends, who had never shown me any respect. “Have you lost your mind, Nina?!” “I must have. Why else would I have ever fallen in love with a piece of trash like Charles? You’re all trash!” “Who are you calling a piece of trash?!” Peter shoved me to the floor. Meanwhile, Charles toyed with Lilu’s hair and remained as indifferent and cruel as ever, just as I had expected. Chapter 3 I stared at the man I once loved and felt what little love I had for him disappear. I did not cry, and my heart did not break because of him anymore. I got to my feet despite my sorry state and looked him in the eyes as I said, “I don’t love you anymore, Charles.” Charles just chuckled as his eyes shone with mockery. “Whatever… Just don’t come crying and begging me to take you back.” … Right then, the servant led two police officers in. That snapped me out of my thoughts. “Hello, we received a report that a woman was being held here against her will, and we’re here to investigate.” Charles frowned. “Who filed the report?” “An Uber driver.” I hurriedly said, “That’s right, officers. I wanted to leave, but Charles won’t let me. He’s holding me against my will.” “I know that you’re mad, honey, but the police officers are busy. Stop kicking up such a fuss.” Charles draped an arm around my shoulder, and his indifferent expression changed to one of gentleness and love. I had never seen him look at me with such affection before. Charles turned to the police officers. “My wife is throwing a tantrum and is threatening to run away from home. It’s not the Uber driver’s fault.” I wanted to break free from Charles, but his hand pressed down on my shoulder. “No! I’m not his wife, officer—” Suddenly, he pushed down harder on my shoulder and kissed me hard on the mouth. “No…” I did my best to fight back and tried to push him away, but he grabbed my wrists, and I could not move. After about ten seconds, he finally let me go. This was the first time he had kissed me. My heart should have been racing, but I felt oddly calm. Perhaps I would have felt happy if he had done that a few days ago. If Charles had treated me just a tiny bit nicely, it would be enough to stir my heart. But my heart was ice-cold, and I did not care for it anymore. I was so angry that I scowled. “What exactly are you doing?! I don’t love you anymore. Zero! Nada! Don’t you understand?!” “Calm down, honey.” “I won’t bother you anymore. Go find Lilu! I’m letting her take my place as your wife! Just let me go!” Charles’s face soured, and he shot the police officers a cold glare. “Did you hear that?” The police officers could not say anything more. The younger one was so terrified that his hands trembled around the pen and paper he held. No matter how much I denied my relationship with Charles and pleaded with the police officers to take me away, they said it was a family matter, and they could not interfere. After all, the people living in the wealthy part of the neighborhood were not ordinary, and they did not want to invite trouble to their doorsteps. … Once the police officers left, Charles stopped his act and said gently, “I’ll go with you to the hospital tomorrow.” “No need.” “Your father’s hospitalized from a sudden heart attack. Do you really want him to worry about your marriage?” Indeed, I could not let my parents worry about me. When Green Corporation was in trouble, I was still unmarried. Even so, I asked my parents for money and withdrew all my savings to give to Charles to help resolve his company’s crisis. Yet what I got in return was indifference as Charles never admitted that I was his wife. Helen’s death had dealt him a huge blow, and I understood that. I also knew that I was a lovestruck fool and should not have insisted on the wedding. When my family was facing bankruptcy, I pooled together what little savings I had left to help. It was far from enough, so I begged Charles for help, and he made me kneel for it. I did as he wanted, but he only gave me 5 million. It was ironic and deeply painful. I had given him 500 million when he was in need. Chapter 4 In order to help Green Corporation’s business, I took a break from school for a year and worked day and night as I worked through one proposal after another. Since Charles had a weak stomach, I drank in his place until my stomach bled. Even when I was put on an IV drip, I continued working. I chased after clients’ cars to secure one deal after another for him. Yet when my family was in trouble, I got a measly 5 million after sacrificing my dignity. That 5 million was far from enough, and my father suffered from a heart attack. Charles’s indifference and negligence were the final straw for me. He had a weak stomach, but I had a dumb and stupid brain. … I did not sleep well that night. When I went downstairs, I saw Charles leisurely eating breakfast. I stopped. Looking at his side profile, I had to admit that Charles was indeed handsome. He was also 5’9” feet tall. He had broad shoulders, a thin waist, and a lean body. He did not have bulging muscles, but every part of his body was firm and filled with strength. His stoic and self-reserved demeanor gave him a cold but charming air. “You’re awake?” Charles stared at me. I was stunned. As if hit by a blunt force, I felt my mind go blank. He pulled out a chair beside him. “Come, have breakfast. We’re going to the hospital after this.” I could not understand why he was doing this. But I knew that it meant nothing good. He was just thinking of another way to torment me. Once I got into the car, I fell into a deep sleep. It seemed last night’s lack of sleep caught up to me. … As Charles stared at Nina, who was fast asleep, he could not help but caress her face. Myriad emotions raged in his heart. He had returned to the past, right into his birthday party last night. In the previous timeline, he had ruined his relationship for his stupid ego. It had plagued him with regret until the end when he took his own life because he could not reconcile. In the previous timeline, Nina loved being with him, but he did not have much love for her. Later, when his family business was in trouble, she helped him without hesitation and helped him turn things around. He had felt really touched back then. Nina was beautiful and smart. No one could withstand her charms. Before he got together with Nina, a number of rich heirs were vying for her. Later, he found that someone had tampered with Helen’s car, and all evidence pointed at Nina. He could not help but suspect her, but he could not bear the thought of letting her go either. Hence, he thought of other ways to make her life hell by hiding his true intent of making her stay beside him. After tormenting Nina for three years, he finally found out that she had nothing to do with Helen’s death. She was innocent. He was the one who had fallen for a conspiracy. As he realized his mistake, Nina started avoiding him. When he returned home drunk, she would make him honey lemon tea and take care of him throughout the night, but she would discreetly avoid physical contact with him, and she no longer shared the same room. She was always so gentle and considerate. She even asked Lilu to come over to keep him company. He would make a lot of noise with Lilu on their bed. He thought that would make Nina jealous, and she would cave in so that he could have a way out of the situation, but she stopped getting angry. She did not even storm in anymore to demand why he was doing this to her. He shared a birthday with Helen, which frustrated him even more. That was why he did such a thing. But the eternally gentle, considerate, and even-tempered Nina ran away from home on his birthday and married Skye Brentt, her best friend’s brother. … When I arrived at the hospital with Charles, I saw my mother standing at the door to my father’s ward. “Naomi, I already hired the best cardiologist in the country to check on Nathan. You don’t have to worry about the medical fees either.” Chapter 5 My mother wiped her tears away. “Thank you. Why did Nina have to…” The one my mother was talking to was Skye. After my father suffered from a heart attack, I asked Samantha Brentt, my best friend, to take care of him. She asked Skye’s help instead. Charles interrupted my mother. “You’re just an outsider. You don’t have to worry about my father-in-law.” “I can’t believe you’d have the galls to say that. Nathan’s attack was two days ago!” “He’s still my father-in-law. You don’t need to worry about him.” Rage burned in me. “Enough, Charles! No matter what, Skye has helped us.” “You’re siding with him?” “I don’t want to argue with you.” I headed straight into the ward. In less than two minutes, I heard some fighting at the door. Both ended up with bruises on their faces. Skye sat on the floor, and Charles had his collar in his grip. His other hand was raised high in the air. He was about to punch him. I shouted, “Enough!” I shoved Charles away and helped Skye up. “Are you okay?” Skye nodded. I pulled Skye away. “Nina…” I did not turn around, but I could hear the disappointment in Charles’s voice. “I wasn’t expecting Samantha to call you here. Still, thanks for helping my dad.” Skye’s smile grew wider as he stared at me. “We grew up together. You don’t have to thank me for this.” “I don’t know what happened between you and Charles, but I’m still going to apologize to you on his behalf.” “There’s no need for an apology. I heard that you haven’t been happy for a few years now. If you need help, I’m here.” I was surprised. “Skye…” But he interrupted me. “I won’t accept no for an answer.” While I chased after Charles, Skye chased after me. He was like the loyal love interest you would find in soap operas. Unfortunately, I had fallen for a cold and ruthless Charles. While I did not love Charles anymore, my heart was still broken. Love felt too bitter, and I could not take it anymore. I did not think that I would ever be able to fall in love again. Unrequited love was painful enough from afar but having to live with someone who only felt hatred was even worse. The entire process of gaining someone only to lose them later could destroy anyone. How could I possibly let Skye go through the pain that I had? When I returned to the ward, I found that Charles had already transferred my father to a VIP ward and was talking about a surgery plan with the cardiologist. … My father’s surgery went smoothly, and he recovered quickly. Charles stayed in the hospital to take care of my father day and night. He also took good care of me. Half a month passed, and my mother’s opinion of Charles changed. I called him to the stairwell. “My dad’s fine now. You can go back if you don’t have anything else to do.” “I’m not leaving. I’ll go wherever you are.” “Why do you insist on following me? I made myself clear. It’s over between us. It’s just not possible for us to continue with this relationship.” Charles’s face darkened, and he grabbed the back of my head before pulling me into a kiss. It was not just a kiss. It was like a domineering and intense bite. As our lips pressed together and his eyes burned with rage, he hissed, “I don’t want to hear that!” He nibbled at my soft lips, and his hot breath burned my skin. In an instant, my broken heart mended itself and raced. After a long time, he drew close to my ear and whispered, though his voice made him sound like he was frantic. “Nina, I love you! I really do. I’ve completely fallen for you.” Chapter 6 I was surprised, but it lasted only for a second. After that, I regained my composure. “You’re saying you love me?! Don’t you think it’s a little too late for that?” I could see my old self in him. That was the gaze of a person looking at someone they loved desperately. That sort of gaze could not be faked. Even so, it did not matter anymore. I did not want anything to do with him anymore. I was already full of disappointment, and it was time for me to let go. Not clinging on was the last bit of respect I owed to myself. As we waited for my father’s condition to stabilize, my mother took over the company’s affairs. Meanwhile, I set up a jewelry design studio with Samantha. From design to production to sales, we handled everything ourselves. I was in charge of design and production, while Samantha focused on expanding our business. Each piece of jewelry was unique and one-of-a-kind. There were no copies or extras. They were all fashionable and made of quality materials. The unique design, coupled with Samantha’s silver tongue, made our jewelry a hit among the socialites. While I was a lovestruck idiot, I did not neglect my studies. I started my studies again and worked, so I had a pretty fulfilling life. … My phone rang. It was Titus. I did not want to answer it. I already knew why he was calling. But he called me more than twenty times, so I finally answered. “Nina.” “It’s Miss Springfield to you. I have nothing to do with Charles anymore. Anyway, what is it?” “Charles is drunk. Could you come over?” “You know where his house is, and he has a maid. I don’t need to take care of him.” “Nina, have mercy on me. You know how Charles can be…” I could no longer refuse. “Send me the location.” Charles indeed had a horrible temper, and his friends were terrified of him. He lashed out at them when he was in a bad mood. I just could not figure out why they still wanted to be friends with him. When I reached and parked the car, I saw Titus supporting Charles. I could not tell if he was still awake or passed out. Still, he looked haggard. I had known him for many years. I had seen him become cold and indifferent to everyone around him and do all sorts of things ordinary people would not do. But I had never seen him being so disheveled and drunk before. After Titus got Charles into the car, he hesitated for a moment before he said, “Nina, won’t you consider forgiving him—” “Don’t.” “Nina, listen. Charles has really changed. When Peter insulted you a few days ago, Charles kicked him and said that anyone who disrespected you would be disrespecting him too. “He drank until his stomach bled and ended up hospitalized. In his daze, he called for only you. After he woke up, I told him I could find you for him, but he refused.” It was strange that even after hearing all that, I felt nothing. I neither felt happy nor sad at that. Perhaps this meant that I no longer loved him. Once I got Charles settled, I fed him some honey lemon tea. Just as I took a few steps away from the bed, Charles grabbed my hand, and I stumbled back onto the bed. He hugged me from behind and whispered gently into my ear, “Don’t leave, Nina.” I was shocked but soon realized that he must have mistaken me for someone else. I pushed his hands away. “Should I call Lilu for you?” Lately, every time he got drunk, Lilu took care of him. It made it seem like she was his wife, and I was the other woman in their relationship.