Blurb：
Naomi Lane’s engagement to Nathaniel Reid was a sham. While he recklessly chased after Joanna Smith, Naomi endured public humiliation and cleaned up his mess—until her birthday banquet became the final straw. After Nathaniel skipped their wedding date announcement to fetch Joanna’s childhood pancakes, Naomi made a shocking decision: “It didn’t have to be Nathaniel.”
Inspired by dreams of a mysterious, composed man hiding unwavering love for her, Naomi confronts her family and the Reid dynasty. Defying expectations, she smirks and whispers, “Didn’t he still have an uncle?” Dive into this intense romance where Naomi trades a toxic engagement for a hidden passion, unraveling secrets of the Reid family—where Nathaniel’s recklessness meets his uncle’s quiet devotion. Will Naomi’s bold choice lead to revenge or redemption?
Content：
Nathaniel Reid had always despised being bound by our engagement.
To spite me, he recklessly raced cars and caused trouble, indulging in all sorts of reckless behavior.
And every time, I cleaned up his mess.
Then, a girl named Joanna Smith appeared in his life.
On the night of my birthday banquet, he scoured the entire city for a simple breakfast wrap for her and never even bothered to show up.
I had already prepared for this moment.
That night, I approached my family and asked to change the engagement.
“It didn’t have to be Nathaniel.”
I thought of the distant, composed man from my dreams—the one who had always hidden his quiet, unwavering love for me.
A smile flickered across my lips as I said softly, “Didn’t he still have an uncle?”
Chapter 1
Nathaniel Reid was absent from my birthday banquet.
While everyone speculated about the grand surprise the heir of the Reid family was preparing for me, all I received was a phone call.
His tone was casual, and he said, “You know, Joanna isn’t in a good mood today. She’s craving the pancakes from her childhood, so I’m helping her find that place.
“Miss Lane, aren’t you the one who loves playing the role of the gentle and understanding fiancée? I assume you can spare a little kindness and patience for this, right?”
Perhaps he hadn’t expected me to have him on speaker.
There was no pretense in his words, just pure mockery.
Before I could say anything, the call was already disconnected.
It wasn’t an explanation—just a notice.
Nathaniel had always been like this with me.
Because of that, he also missed his father’s furious roar.
“That brat has gone too far!”
His mother tried to console me. “Naomi, don’t be upset. I’ll drag him over to apologize to you tomorrow.
“As for that girl, Joanna, she’s just a passing fling, nothing more than a stray cat or dog. I promise you, she won’t affect your relationship with Nathaniel in any way!”
I listened quietly, forcing a faint, pale smile.
Today was my birthday.
It was also supposed to be the day our wedding date was officially announced.
But the person who once swore to spend every birthday with me was nowhere to be seen.
My parents’ faces were grim.
Yet, I knew they were already calculating how to leverage this unexpected turn of events to force the Reid family into making greater concessions in their upcoming business dealings.
So, when I brought up the idea of breaking off the engagement I was met with reprimands as expected.
Everything was unfolding exactly as it had in that dream.
“Ridiculous!”
My father frowned, his tone displeased. “Naomi, it’s perfectly normal for men to have their little indulgences outside. You need to remember that you are the one Nathaniel is going to marry. There’s no need to fuss over those insignificant nobodies.”
Even my mother, who had once thrown countless hysterical fits over my father’s affairs, urged me not to be so narrow-minded.
Was I being petty?
I lowered my gaze, a faint smirk of mockery tugging at my lips.
After a moment, as if reaching a decision, I murmured, “It didn’t have to be Nathaniel.”
I thought of the distant, composed man from my dreams—the one who had always hidden his quiet, unwavering love for me.
A smile flickered across my lips as I said softly, “Didn’t he still have an uncle?”
…
Nathaniel and I grew up together, and we were a perfect match in terms of both family background and status.
It was only natural that we got engaged when we came of age.
But at some point, Nathaniel began to grow distant, his warmth toward me fading into indifference.
He despised my presence.
Even more, he resented the way I tried to restrain him as his fiancée.
To spite me, he did one outrageous thing after another.
I lost count of how many times I had to clean up his mess.
I even witnessed a friend advising him not to treat me so cruelly.
The strikingly handsome young man simply leaned against the wall, lowering his gaze.
Chapter 2
A tiny ember flickered at his fingertips, flaring and dimming in turns.
After a long pause, he stubbed out his cigarette and let out a short, mocking laugh.
“Isn’t this exactly what she loves doing?
“Miss Lane has worked so hard to craft that gentle and considerate image, all to secure her place in the Reid family. You’d better stay out of it. If you ruin her plans, she might not be so grateful. Who knows? She might even come after you for it.”
His words dripped with ridicule and malice.
I stood frozen.
It felt like an invisible hand had clenched around my heart, the pain so sharp it nearly stole my breath.
I even forgot about the shards of glass embedded in my palm—the injury I had gotten trying to stop Nathaniel earlier.
But he never noticed.
The only reaction he had was a brief, instinctive step in my direction when I fell before he stopped himself, frowning in irritation.
“Mind your own business.”
I ignored the pain, telling myself I needed to handle things here first before finding Nathaniel to talk.
But I never expected this was how he truly saw me all along.
I forced myself to stay calm, convincing myself that this had to be a misunderstanding that should be cleared up.
But before I even had the chance to figure things out, a girl named Joanna Smith appeared by Nathaniel’s side.
He shielded her carefully as if she were something fragile and precious.
And with her, he showed a gentleness and patience I hadn’t seen from him in years.
It was the day I first saw Joanna that I had a dream.
In that dream, Nathaniel still ended up marrying me.
He shed his reckless ways and grew into an outstanding heir to the Reid family.
But toward me, his wife, he was respectful, yet distant.
I tried so hard just to get him to treat me with even the slightest warmth.
And for a moment, it seemed like I had finally made some progress.
Until one day, I accidentally touched a handcrafted photo frame he left in his study.
Nathaniel erupted in fury.
“Naomi.”
He called my name, his gaze icy as he stared at me.
His voice bristled with anger. “I’m already married to you. What more do you want?”
It wasn’t until much later that I learned the truth.
That frame was a wedding gift from Joanna before she left.
Tucked behind the frame was a letter from Joanna.
What a cruel joke of a gift.
I thought it was nothing more than a nightmare until everything that happened at my birthday banquet today aligned perfectly with it.
Snapping back to reality, I forced my voice to remain steady.
“If we really need to choose a business partner from the Reid family… wouldn’t Liam be the better choice?”
Liam Reid was hailed as a near-mythical genius in business—brilliant beyond reason yet so cold and indifferent he seemed almost inhuman.
Even Nathaniel’s father had to tread carefully around him.
He was far superior to Nathaniel in every way.
But he was also someone the Lane family could never hope to reach.
My father fell into a long silence before finally responding with a cold, clipped remark.
“Come talk to me about this again when you’re certain you can pull it off.”
…
The next day, Nathaniel didn’t come to apologize.
There wasn’t even a simple text to explain himself as expected.
As the youngest heir of the Reid family, he had always been indulged.
Instead, it was his mother who called, her voice filled with apologies.
Once the call ended, my father told me to forgive Nathaniel.
But it seemed my words from yesterday had stirred something in him, perhaps a hint of ambition.
So, after a moment of hesitation, he refrained from pushing me to send a message first to make amends.
I quietly let out a breath of relief.
However, throwing out bold words was one thing—following through was another.
For starters, I didn’t even have Liam’s private contact information.
Moreover, at the moment, he was still overseas.
Chapter 3
There wasn’t even a chance for a carefully planned “coincidental” encounter.
A dull ache formed at my temples when I thought about relying solely on that dream.
But before I could come up with a proper solution, trouble found Nathaniel once again.
…
It was the second time I had ever seen Nathaniel lose control like that.
I was kidnapped once.
Nathaniel was the one who found me in an abandoned factory, leading the police straight to my location.
“Naomi…”
His eyes were red as he took in the bruises on my face. His hand lifted slightly but hesitated, as if afraid that even the slightest touch would hurt me.
Then, unable to suppress his fury any longer, he snapped.
Teeth clenched, fists tight, he threw punch after punch at the kidnappers, his rage so brutal that no one dared to step in and stop him until, through the pain, I called out to him.
“Nathaniel, it hurts.”
“Nathaniel, stop!”
It was a similar scene with the same voice pleading with him.
But this time, I wasn’t the one who managed to stop him.
The ache in my chest spread slowly, but it was still bearable.
And over time, it would fade.
I watched, calm and detached, as Nathaniel delivered one last ruthless kick before turning, panic-stricken to check if Joanna was hurt.
His concern for her was unmistakable.
“You’re really just going to stand there and take this?”
The friend who brought me out to clear my mind was fuming, her voice filled with disbelief.
“Does that trash even remember he has a fiancée?”
I stopped her.
I planned to slip away quietly.
But before I could leave, one of Nathaniel’s friends spotted me.
“Well, well, looks like our future Mrs. Reid has a knack for showing up at just the right time!”
He deliberately raised his voice, blocking my path with a smug grin.
Then, turning to Nathaniel, he joked, “Alright, Nate, take Joanna and get her injuries treated. Your fiancée’s here. She’ll handle the rest.”
They all assumed, without question, that I was here to clean up Nathaniel’s mess.
I had no choice but to stop.
Nathaniel looked up then and finally saw me.
For a brief second, he froze.
His fingers instinctively loosened around Joanna’s hand, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.
But just as quickly, it vanished, replaced by realization, then cold fury.
“Naomi.”
Nathaniel curved his lips into a smirk, though the expression never reached his eyes.
“This was your doing, wasn’t it?”
I frowned. “What?”
“You were upset that I skipped your birthday banquet, so you had someone target Joanna on purpose.”
Step by step, he closed the distance between us, his expression growing sharper, colder, almost terrifying, until he stood right in front of me, looking down with a cold, condescending gaze.
“This is just like you, isn’t it? Playing the perfect act in public while scheming behind the scenes—deceptive and completely fake.”
I was stunned.
Beyond Nathaniel, I caught sight of Joanna, who should have looked frightened.
Instead, she seemed uneasy, deliberately avoiding my gaze.
I see.
Understanding dawned, but I forced myself to stay calm as I explained, “I have no reason to do something like this.
“This was just a coincidence. If I had known you two would be here, I wouldn’t have even stepped out of my house.”
It was the truth.
But Nathaniel didn’t believe me.
He suddenly grabbed my wrist, his voice dripping with mockery.
“You really think I’d fall for your lies again?
“Naomi, haven’t you been scheming all this time to marry into the Reid family? And now, before you’ve even secured your place as Mrs. Reid, you’re already acting high and mighty, trying to discipline me?
“Who do you think you are? What right do you have to interfere in my life?”
His grip tightened, the pain sharp enough to make me wince.
My brows furrowed as I gritted out, “Let go.”
But he didn’t. His expression only grew darker, his irritation mounting.
I had no leverage with Liam yet.
For now, I couldn’t afford to completely fall out with Nathaniel or the Reid family.
But the situation was almost laughable.
The same man who once handled me with such delicate care, as if I were made of porcelain was now doing everything he could to hurt me.
Chapter 4
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
“Nathaniel, you—”
A sudden ringtone cut me off.
It also interrupted Nathaniel’s childish attempt to punish me.
Noticing the redness in my eyes from the pain, he seemed to regain some sense of reason.
His grip loosened slightly but he still didn’t let go.
Unable to break free, I kept my face cold and answered the call right in front of him.
“Miss Lane, hello.”
Before I could speak, the other person greeted me first.
The voice was deep and smooth, carrying a magnetic quality like an electric current humming through the receiver.
“I’m… Liam Reid.”
…
Most of what I knew about Liam came from my father’s generation and the financial news.
He was the young and accomplished head of the Reid family and a true golden child of fate.
It seemed that no amount of praise could ever feel excessive when attached to his name.
But Nathaniel had never liked his uncle.
With a cold scoff, he once said, “Do you know how the family describes him?”
“How?”
“A businessman so calculated that he even considers which foot to step out with first to maximize his advantage.”
The sharp clack of billiard balls colliding echoed through the air as Nathaniel lowered his cue.
Frowning, he warned me seriously to stay away from that man.
“In his eyes, people and things are only divided into two categories—useful or worthless. Someone like that… do you really think he’s capable of sincerity?”
His tone was laced with disdain.
I stayed silent.
But I couldn’t help recalling my last encounter with Liam.
It had been purely by chance.
Wanting to escape the crowd, I stepped onto the balcony for some fresh air only to realize someone was already there.
The man, who should have been the center of attention at the banquet, stood in the shadows instead.
His neatly styled hair had fallen out of place, stray strands brushing against his sharp brow bone.
Through the haze of cigarette smoke, our eyes met.
There was an unmistakable edge of dominance in his dark gaze.
But in the next second, it faded into his usual indifference.
“Sorry.”
Noticing the slight furrow of my brows, Liam stubbed out his cigarette and stepped aside, offering me his spot.
I asked politely, “Are you heading back?”
He hesitated for a moment before pulling the corner of his lips into what seemed like an unfamiliar attempt at a smile.
“It’s rare to find some peace and quiet here. I thought I’d be alone.”
I smiled.
Even though Nathaniel and I grew up together, I couldn’t say I was particularly familiar with his uncle.
So, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Liam returned to the banquet hall.
I thought that was the end of it until a waitress suddenly approached me with a glass of warm water and a packet of painkillers.
“The gentleman said that rather than an extra coat, you might need this more.”
I was startled.
Looking around, I quickly realized something—I had unknowingly been standing in the only spot on the balcony shielded from the wind.
A sharp pain in my lower abdomen made it impossible to ignore the gesture.
Swallowing down the warmth creeping up my ears, I murmured a quiet thank you.
But I couldn’t help it—my gaze drifted toward the crowd, seeking out the man who stood out no matter where he was.
Instinct told me that Liam wasn’t as distant and unfeeling as people claimed.
But back then, I only had eyes for Nathaniel.
When I noticed the slight jealousy in his expression, it only made me more determined not to show Liam any extra kindness just because of his striking looks.
I almost found it amusing.
Still, I played along until I turned and locked eyes with a deep, unreadable gaze.
Liam.
I had no idea how long he had been standing there, or how much he had overheard.
A flicker of awkwardness crossed my face, followed by an inexplicable sense of guilt.
Nathaniel, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered as he raised an eyebrow.
Chapter 5
“Well, look who finally has time to join us.”
Liam shifted his gaze away, responding with a calm “Mm” before reaching for a cue stick.
“Care for a game?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
As he passed by, Liam gave me a slight nod, nothing more than a polite acknowledgment.
I let out a quiet breath, guessing he probably hadn’t heard anything earlier.
Not long after that, he left for an overseas expansion project, and I pushed the whole encounter to the back of my mind.
But now, hearing his slightly raspy voice over the phone brought it all back.
A flicker of unease crept in.
Still, this was an opportunity I couldn’t afford to waste.
Ignoring the fact that Nathaniel was still standing right beside me, I spoke up.
“Mr. Reid.”
A sudden blast of music drowned out my words.
At the same time, something seemed to have gone wrong on Joanna’s end.
Her anxious gaze kept darting toward Nathaniel, silently pleading for his attention.
He hesitated for a moment.
Then, with a cold “You better watch yourself,” he finally let go of my wrist and walked toward her.
I didn’t bother sparing them another glance.
Without looking back, I made my way straight for the exit.
As the music faded, the voice on the other end of the call spoke again.
“The proposal you submitted for the collaboration with the Reid Group was well done.”
I blinked in confusion.
“A while ago, my secretary mentioned that you were hoping for an opportunity to seek my advice.”
There was a brief pause, probably because he had run out of ways to keep up the pretense.
Then, in a quieter tone, he added, “I’ll be back the day after tomorrow.”
Then, silence followed.
That proposal had been from six months ago.
And the comment Liam’s secretary referred to was nothing more than polite small talk at the end of our collaboration—both of us understood that perfectly well.
Yet, Liam chose those excuses and even called me.
I froze for a moment.
The restlessness and unease I felt earlier suddenly settled as if something had finally clicked into place.
I couldn’t hold back a smile, my eyes curving with amusement.
Then, deliberately, I changed to a more familiar form of address.
“Alright, I’ll be waiting for you, Uncle Liam.”
A loud clatter came from the other end of the line as if something had been knocked over.
Feigning innocence, I asked, “What’s wrong, Uncle Liam?”
“Nothing.”
His voice dropped a few notes, deeper than before.
“It’s late. Get some rest.”
I picked up on the shift immediately.
Liam sounded noticeably colder than before.
I paused.
Did he not like being called that?
…
Because of what happened with Joanna, Nathaniel completely blocked me from every possible contact.
It seemed like this was his way of teaching me a lesson.
I didn’t dwell on it.
Without hesitation, I blocked and deleted him in return.
Then, I accompanied Liam’s secretary, Alec Lee, to the airport to pick him up.
The flight was delayed, and by the time it landed, it was nearly 3 a.m.
Liam must have come straight from an event—his hair was slicked back, revealing the sharp angles of his brow bone.
He wore a perfectly tailored suit, every inch of it meticulously fitted, from the collar down to the cuffs, exuding the precision of fine craftsmanship.
At first, he didn’t even notice me.
Handing his tablet to Alec, his voice was cool, edged with exhaustion.
“Go over this contract again—”
Then he stopped abruptly.
His gaze landed on me, and for once, he looked genuinely caught off guard.
“Naomi?”
“Mr. Reid, long time no see.”
I greeted him with a smile.
Standing face-to-face, there was a brief moment of awkwardness, but it quickly faded.
Because, surprisingly, Liam looked even more unsure than I was.
He instinctively withdrew his hand, giving a faint, almost hesitant “Mm,” though he tried to mask his uncertainty.
Chapter 6
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of something light blue on Liam’s wrist.
It was a hair tie.
The kind a young woman might use—completely out of place next to the luxury watch worth millions beside it.
I froze for a moment before quickly looking away, pretending not to notice.
But a quiet sigh escaped me.
So, Liam had a girlfriend.
Which meant all the plans I had before…
“How long have you been waiting?”
His slightly hoarse voice pulled me from my thoughts.
Alec walked ahead, dragging the suitcase as if he were just a stranger passing by.
I touched the tip of my nose and mumbled, “Not too long, really.”
Liam studied me in silence.
A faint crease formed between his brows, his lips pressed into a firm line.
He looked… upset.
Surely, he wasn’t actually mad that I had shown up unannounced?
My heart sank.
Just as I was about to explain, a suitcase came barreling past and slammed into me.
“Careful!”
I stumbled backward, colliding into a solid, warm chest.
Liam caught me instinctively, his arm tightening around my waist.
His voice, usually calm and detached, carried an unmistakable edge of urgency.
“Are you alright?”
I didn’t answer.
Because my eyes had locked onto the hair tie now fully exposed on his wrist.
There was a delicate pink-and-white crystal flower dangled from it.
Earlier, I only caught a fleeting glimpse.
However, the longer I looked, the more familiar it felt, and the more it unsettled me.
“Did you twist your ankle?”
Noticing my silence, Liam frowned slightly, assuming I was hurt.
Without hesitation, he crouched down, his fingers carefully brushing against my ankle as he asked softly, “Does it hurt here?”
His palm was warm, almost burning, and his touch was brief and fleeting.
Yet something about it felt strangely familiar as if someone had once held my foot the same way, restraining himself as I teasingly stepped on him.
A hoarse, uncertain voice had coaxed me back then.
“I’m built solid. Don’t hurt yourself.”
I stared at Liam as he kept his head down, focused on checking for any injuries.
A bold, impossible thought crept into my mind and before I could stop myself, I asked, “Mr. Reid, where were you two years ago on Christmas Eve?”
The moment the words left my lips, his body went rigid.
“Overseas.”
His voice was flat and indifferent, his head still lowered as he answered.
Then, to make it sound more convincing, he added, “I was overseeing a cross-border trade deal with a biotech company.”
Cross-border trade, my ass.
I stared at the small, familiar mole behind Liam’s ear and let out a sharp, incredulous laugh.
When I spoke, I couldn’t help the trace of mockery in my voice.
“Mr. Reid, you have an impressive memory. You even remembered the details from two years ago so clearly.”
Liam pressed his lips together and said nothing.
…
There was one time when I lost control after drinking too much.
It happened at Nathaniel’s villa.
Back then, I still had unrestricted access to any of the properties under his name.
Sometime past midnight, someone came home.
I didn’t remember much of what kind of drunken mess I had made.
The only thing my hazy mind clung to was stopping that person from turning on the lights because I was a disaster, and I didn’t want my humiliation laid bare under the harsh glow.
“Alright.”
There was a pause before the man finally agreed but he was terrible at comforting others—even compliments came out awkward and hesitant.
I had to guide him through it, bit by bit.
Still, he got better as the night went on.
“You’re good enough. You’re not just an accessory to someone else, and your worth isn’t something to be bartered away in a marriage.”
“Then… do you love me?”
Clutching onto his collar, my vision blurred as I whispered, “They say I have to be valuable to be worthy of love.”
Chapter 7
To the Lane family, my only worth lay in marriage.
The man suddenly fell silent.
“You can’t even lie to make me feel better?”
Feeling angry, I kicked at his shoulder and chest, but it only made me more frustrated.
“Why are you so damn hard? Are you hiding metal plates under your skin?”
The muscles beneath my foot tensed even more.
I thought I heard a low chuckle.
But before I could react, he wrapped his warm, calloused hand around my ankle.
“Yeah,” his voice was hoarse as he coaxed me. “I’m built solid. Don’t hurt yourself.”
I refused to let it go.
With a sigh, he said, “They’re wrong. You will always be worthy of love.”
“Then why don’t you love me?”
“Because I like you.”
I tilted my head up.
He leaned down.
Then, a soft, lingering kiss landed on his thumb, which was gently pressed against my lips.
“I don’t want to lie to you. I like you, but I’m not sure if that like is enough to call love. I don’t even know if I’m capable of loving someone.”
His voice was serious and careful as if he had thought deeply about every word.
Drunk as I was, I considered his answer for a moment before asking, “Then when will you be able to love me?”
“Maybe… tomorrow.”
And just like that, I was satisfied.
Grinning, I dug into my bag and pulled out a hair tie, forcefully looping it around his wrist.
Then, in my best attempt at a fierce tone, I ordered, “You’re not allowed to take it off! And you’re definitely not allowed to like anyone else!”
The delicate pink-and-white crystal flower caught the moonlight, reflecting a soft shimmer in his dark eyes.
His usually indifferent gaze softened, his lowered lashes concealing the faint amusement flickering beneath them.
In a quiet voice, he murmured, “There is no one else. And there never will be.”
Feeling satisfied, I fell asleep without a care.
By the time I woke up the next day, I had forgotten everything.
Even when bits and pieces of that night eventually resurfaced, the only thing I remembered clearly was the phrase ‘I like you.’
And naturally, I assumed the person who said it was Nathaniel.
After all, he was the only one who had ever indulged my whims.
So, no matter how reckless or outrageous he became later on, I convinced myself that he was just lashing out—angry at his family for taking away his freedom.
It wasn’t because he didn’t love me.
But now, the memories I had long buried came rushing back like a tidal wave.
The once-blurred figure from that night slowly merged with the man standing before me now.
And all at once, I realized that the one who whispered “I like you” that night had never been Nathaniel at all.
…
Liam abruptly changed the subject.
Since we were in public, I wisely chose not to press further.
Instead, I silently followed him into the car.
He hesitated for a brief moment before getting in, as if something was on his mind—but in the end, he said nothing.
Alec, ever perceptive, wordlessly raised the partition.
After a stretch of silence, I spoke casually.
“So, what made you decide to come back, Mr. Reid?”
Liam kept his eyes fixed ahead. “There are some matters I need to take care of.”
“What kind of matters?”
Liam fell silent.
“Let me put it another way—are you back for business or personal reasons?”
The moment the words left my mouth, his fingers, resting on his knee, tensed instinctively.
A second later, he schooled his expression into indifference.
“Both.”
“Then in those personal matters… is there one in particular—”
I leaned in slightly, my gaze naturally dropping to his wrist, hidden beneath his sleeve.
Download the GoodNovel app, Search 【 339959 】reads the whole book.
