Chapter 1 The Wedding Planning Job I Accepted Turned Out to Be My Ex's
To save her daughter suffering from leukemia, Nora Brooks worked herself to the bone taking on side jobs, but there was still a $100,000 gap in the surgery costs.
When she received that private wedding planning order, she was overjoyed and rushed over through the pouring rain, only to freeze in shock the moment she saw her client, her blood running cold.
Five years...
That face once carved into her very bones appeared without warning before her eyes at her most desperate moment.
It was her first love, her daughter's biological father, Samuel Green.
He seemed more mature and stern now, the red mole on the side of his nose still alluring, his whole being radiating the dignity and authority of someone in power.
A group of senior executives from the wedding company followed behind him humbly, while beside him, a beautiful, elegantly dressed girl held his arm, smiling warmly. "Our Mr. Green is usually so busy with work, why did you suddenly decide to come with me to choose a wedding planner?"
A deep, gentle voice came from the man's thin lips.
"How could I let you handle everything for something as important as our wedding?"
Nora stood frozen in place, her mind blank, even her breathing stopped.
So... he was getting married?
Her heart pounded wildly as fear and an indescribable bitterness instantly overwhelmed her.
Looking at those two figures standing close together, Nora wanted nothing more than to flee, but her feet seemed rooted to the ground.
After five years apart, she had almost convinced herself she'd forgotten this man, never imagining they would reunite at a time like this.
Just then, the wedding company's supervisor noticed her and frowned, waving her over.
"Nora, why are you so late?"
"Didn't I tell you? Mr. Green is a VIP client... never mind, just come over and greet him, then listen to the requirements and put together a proposal."
Nora suddenly snapped back to reality and stiffly stepped forward, her voice unknowingly hoarse and off-key.
"Hello, Mr. Green. Hello, Mrs. Green."
Samuel looked up casually, then quickly looked away.
Those eyes that once held burning love now contained only cold indifference.
Nora froze, her fingertips seemingly losing all warmth.
His attitude was so coldly emotionless, as if she were an insignificant stranger.
But thinking about it carefully, after five years, with Samuel's status, there was no need for him to remember someone like her passing through his life. She was so insignificant, she wasn't even worth his hatred.
However, the woman, Emily Johnson, beside him looked at her with some surprise. "You... Ms. Brooks? What a coincidence."
She tightened her grip on Samuel's arm possessively, saying meaningfully. "You and Samuel were classmates before, so you should know his preferences well. With you planning the wedding, the results should be excellent."
Nora clenched her fists, looking at the well-matched couple before her, rainwater dripping from her hair, ice-cold and piercing.
Long ago, she had imagined what kind of wedding she and Samuel would have - a simple beach ceremony, or a church, or maybe just a simple meal with close friends and family. As long as she was marrying him, anything would be fine.
But now, she had to plan his wedding with someone else.
Back then, Samuel had defied the Green family to be with her, willing to give up his inheritance rather than break up with her.
She had believed that as long as they were together, everything would work out.
But then Samuel got into a car accident while working part-time, suffering severe brain damage and hanging on the edge of death.
She contacted the Green family, who coldly stated: Since Samuel wanted to leave the family, his life or death was no longer their concern.
While she was desperately trying to raise money to save him, Samuel's fiancée came.
She promised to give Samuel the best treatment, on one condition - that she leave him.
To this day, Nora still remembered her words.
"Ms. Brooks, all you can give Samuel is love and endless trouble, but what I can give him is the full support of the Johnson family, not just making him well again, but giving him everything from the Green family."
"He's a son born into wealth, destined to achieve great things in this world. Do you really want him to be with you, working eight part-time jobs every day, just for your love?"
Coming back to her senses, she lowered her head and spoke awkwardly, "Thank you, Miss Johnson. I will definitely plan your and Mr. Green's wedding carefully..."
But before she could finish, a cold laugh came from the man's throat.
"Is she qualified?"
The icy voice made the atmosphere in the entire office unbearably tense. Those sharp black and white eyes slowly swept over everyone, his voice slightly cool.
"What I want is the best wedding planner, not some nobody without even basic manners."
He finally looked at her directly, his gaze sweeping over her cheap T-shirt, faded jeans, and canvas shoes soaked with rain and covered in mud spots. His slender fingers tapped lightly on the folder. "And you... plan to have someone like this prepare my wedding?"
Nora clenched her fists tightly, her nails almost piercing her palms.
Around her, the wedding company staff looked at her strangely, and the executive who had brought her here was sweating profusely.
He had worked with Nora a few times and thought she was quite capable. Plus, knowing Mr. Green was particularly picky, he thought he'd let her try.
Who could have known that as soon as she arrived, not only did she fail to present a satisfactory plan, but she also displeased Mr. Green from the start?
His look toward Nora also took on a cold edge.
"Forget it, Nora, you should go. Since Mr. Green isn't satisfied with you, let's call off this collaboration. If there are suitable opportunities later, I'll contact you."
Nora heard the dismissiveness in his tone, her heart sinking completely.
Though she hadn't seen Samuel in these years, she knew things about him.
He was now the heir of the Green family, the president of the thriving Green & Associates. No one dared offend him.
After today's incident, she would never have another chance to work with them.
And if she couldn't get that $100,000 order, what about her daughter's medical expenses...
Nora's eyes reddened, her nails nearly breaking in her palms.
But Samuel acted as if he hadn't heard, simply taking his fiancée's hand and heading upstairs.
The surrounding staff ignored her too, whispering among themselves in low voices.
Outside, it had started raining at some point.
Nora stood downstairs from the wedding company, watching the drizzling rain, still no one accepting her Uber request.
Just then, her phone vibrated.
The caller ID made her heart tighten.
It was David Baker, Mia's attending physician.
"Hello, Dr. David."
Dr. David's anxious voice came through. "Nora, Mia's condition has deteriorated badly, her blood oxygen dropped severely, she was just sent to the emergency room!"
Nora's vision went dark, nearly collapsing in the rain.
"I... I'll be right there! Right away!"
Hanging up, Nora rushed to the roadside, frantically waving for a taxi.
The rush hour traffic flowed endlessly, but not a single empty cab.
"Mia, Mia." She murmured, tears mixing with rain streaming down. "Wait for mommy, you must wait for mommy."
What to do, even running would be too far, by the time she got there, Mia...
Suddenly, a black Rolls-Royce stopped in front of her.
The window lowered, revealing Samuel's sharply defined handsome face.
His sharp eyes swept over her coolly, his deep voice cutting through the rain.
"In such heavy rain, is Ms. Brooks out here experiencing life?"
Nora couldn't care about the barb in his words, lunging at the car window like grabbing a lifeline.
Rainwater dripped from her hair into the car.
"Samuel, please, can you take me to the hospital?"
Samuel looked at her disheveled state, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel.
"Hospital?" He laughed coldly. "Nora, five years ago you left without a word. What makes you think I'd be your driver?"
