"Former lovers. First love. Someone you just can't forget."

When Lauren Shaw uttered these words, she couldn’t help but find it all a bit absurd herself. She wasn’t quite sure how to explain this relationship to Nina Shaw.

After hearing Lauren Shaw out, Nina Shaw shot them a look of utter disdain, unable to hold back from cursing, "What a jerk! Piece of trash. Let’s go."

Nina Shaw tugged on Lauren Shaw’s arm, ready to leave. Just then, Yvonne Sung spotted them and called out, "Lauren Shaw."

Lauren Shaw ignored him. He shook off Yana Quinn’s hand and hurried over to block her path.

Lauren Shaw’s face turned cold. "What do you want?"

"I..."

"What do you have to say?" Nina Shaw cut in with a harsh edge to her voice and a glare that could cut through steel. Knowing this man had hurt Lauren Shaw, she was itching to give him a piece of her mind.

Yvonne Sung hesitated, words stuck in his throat. Yana Quinn came over, looping her arm around his with a look full of open hostility.

Lauren Shaw could read her intent easily enough. She regarded Yvonne Sung coolly, eyes calm. "There’s nothing left for us to say. If we cross paths again, there’s no need to even greet each other. We can be strangers from now on."

Her tone was resolute and crisp, leaving no room for ambiguity. In her view, anyone who had hurt her didn’t deserve to appear in her life again.

A complex emotion flitted across Yvonne Sung’s face. It seemed he had a thousand things he wanted to say, but in the end struggled to find the words. His lips parted but his voice came out hoarse, "So now I don’t even have the right to say hello to you?"

"No need," Lauren Shaw replied, clutching Nina Shaw’s hand and heading off in another direction. The mall was huge—why should she be the one to leave? If anyone had to go, it should be them.

Yvonne Sung stared after her for a long while until Yana Quinn beside him lightly tugged at his sleeve, looking a little aggrieved.

"Yuche, you still can’t let her go, can you?"

Yvonne Sung stayed silent, fingering the cigarette pack in his pocket. He thought of lighting one, but saw the no-smoking sign and put it away.

"Yanyan, I..."

"I know. You don’t need to say anything—I already know," Yana Quinn suppressed the sorrow in her eyes and tried to force a bitter smile. "Sometimes I wonder, if I hadn’t chosen to go abroad, maybe you and I would have gotten married and had children by now. But there’s no going back, is there?"

She smiled as she spoke, but tears welled up in her eyes, making Yvonne Sung feel as if something heavy were pressing down on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Nina Shaw glanced in their direction, as if nothing was out of the ordinary, her tone taking on a mocking tilt: "So, that was Yvonne Sung’s first love... meaning she’s the one who broke off your engagement with him back then."

Although Nina Shaw hadn’t been in Ancheng at the time, she’d heard bits and pieces about Lauren Shaw’s past but never knew the full story.

All she knew was that Lauren Shaw had suddenly called off the engagement and, in a blink, married Yancy Shaw—a man she’d only met a couple of times. The family had said Lauren Shaw was too impulsive.

Now, thinking back, maybe it wasn’t so impulsive after all.

Some things are decided by fate, as if they’re written in the stars.

"Actually, I should thank her for coming back. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have seen Yvonne Sung’s true colors. I might’ve ended up trapped in a loveless marriage, and realized it too late."

Lauren Shaw was the kind to give her whole heart once she liked someone, offering absolute sincerity and honesty.

But some people just didn't deserve that kind of devotion.

"Do you know who she is?" Nina Shaw suddenly changed the subject.

Lauren Shaw shook her head, not sure what Nina Shaw was getting at.

"She’s Xavier Quinn’s cousin."

"What?" Lauren Shaw was shocked. Yana Quinn was actually Xavier Quinn’s cousin? That meant she was a daughter of the prominent Qiao family of Hong Kong. How did she end up like this?

She couldn’t help but recall Yana Quinn’s selfish parents...

"Hard to believe, right? I didn’t believe it either at first, but that’s what Xavier Quinn told me himself."

Lauren Shaw felt both surprised and puzzled. The Qiao family was old money—how could they let one of their own end up so poorly?

"Because her father is Xavier Quinn’s grandfather’s illegitimate son. The Qiao family has a tradition of passing down the inheritance only to the eldest son. Qiao Mingfu wasn’t happy about this and tried every trick to fight for the family fortune, but he angered the old master and was kicked out."

"And Yana Quinn is Qiao Mingfu’s daughter, so of course she had to go with her father."

Things clicked into place for Lauren Shaw. No wonder Yana Quinn had been sent abroad, even at the cost of her relationship with Yvonne Sung. So that was the real reason.

The two didn’t linger on the topic for long. After buying their gifts, Lauren Shaw sent Yancy Shaw a message, telling him she’d be having dinner at her great-uncle’s house tonight.

Yancy Shaw didn’t reply—he was probably in the operating room right now.

By the time they left the mall, it was already getting dark.

Lauren Shaw drove Nina Shaw to their great-uncle’s house, which was in the suburbs. Tonight, it was just the Shaw family gathering for dinner with no other guests.

When they arrived, they ran into Vivian James and her family outside.

Vivian James was carrying her child. Upon seeing them, she greeted them warmly, "Nina Shaw, Lauren Shaw, you’re here too."

Because Yancy Shaw had saved her husband last time, she felt genuine gratitude towards Lauren Shaw. Huang Cui Rou was always comparing her to the two sisters, but now Vivian James didn’t bother with her.

Lauren Shaw smiled and called, "Cousin."

"Don’t just stand outside, come in and sit down," Vivian James beckoned, and everyone went in together.

Lauren Shaw and Nina Shaw walked in together. Their grandmother was seated on the sofa. Seeing her two granddaughters arrive, her face broke out in deep, happy wrinkles.

"Ning Ning, Sheng Sheng, come sit by me," she patted the space next to her.

Nina Shaw and Lauren Shaw went over and sat on each side of her.

Huang Cui Rou took the child from Vivian James and paraded him in front of the old lady with a beaming smile, "Just look at this little one—so strong and healthy!"

Their grandmother grinned from ear to ear, "Won’t be long before another fat baby joins the family."

For a brief moment, Huang Cui Rou’s smile froze.

Lauren Shaw and Nina Shaw’s mother chimed in, "Our Ning Ning is expecting, too."

"Oh, that’s wonderful news! Ning Ning’s been married a while now—finally, a baby on the way!"

"Exactly. Remember who kept saying there was something wrong with Ning Ning? Young couples want their space these days, not rushing into children is totally normal. But some people just love to gossip, always wagging their tongues."

Everyone knew who she meant, though no one dared to say it out loud.

Huang Cui Rou had long badmouthed Nina Shaw behind her back, predicting Xavier Quinn would divorce her soon and blaming her for not getting pregnant. Nina Shaw’s mother had publicly confronted her about it before.

Today, she finally had the perfect chance to vent her frustration.

Huang Cui Rou’s expression turned awkward.

Lauren Shaw and Nina Shaw’s father tried to ease the tension, "What does it matter what others say, as long as the kids are happy." He shot a meaningful look at his daughters.