Third person's POV
The first thing Tabitha asked upon seeing Wilmot was, "How's Tucker? Is he okay?"
"He's doing well. I've entrusted him to a friend who will take good care of him. Dr. Romero was worried that others might not take good care of you, so he specifically arranged for me to come and look after you."
"Thank you, Wilmot."
With that, Tabitha turned and went back to her room.
Was this just her imagination?
Reuniting with someone she was supposed to part ways with, she didn't feel a shred of happiness. Instead, a strange sensation welled up inside her.
It was as if this person shouldn't be here, yet the reason for his presence seemed reasonable.
Tabitha's intuition told her she should keep her distance from him.
Being around someone she didn't know well, whose background she wasn't clear on, for an extended period wasn't a good idea.
So, subconsciously, she wanted to avoid Wilmot.
For the next few d
Tabitha's POVDinner was laid out with a variety of dishes that leaned towards the sour side, such as pickled cucumber salad, vinegar-soaked fish, and yogurt-baked broccoli.Though not my favorite, I tasted a bit of each.In the following days, these sour ingredients continued to frequent the dining table, and I was almost sick of them.Unable to bear it any longer, I called Wilmot over and said, "Ahem, there's been a bit too much sour food lately. I'm getting tired of it.""Of course, Ms. Hartley. Please tell me what you like to eat, and I'll make sure the kitchen prepares it for you."I scrutinized every expression and movement of his, finding that neither his behavior nor his style of action bore any resemblance to Derek's.Even if Derek knew me well enough, given his status, it was impossible for him to put everything aside to stay by my side.And that high-and-mighty Alpha, the heir to the Greenwood family, when had he eve
Tabitha's POVWilmot's face was grave as he spoke, "This place is like the devil's playground, where they commit all sorts of atrocities with impunity—robbery, murder, you name it. Although they've been somewhat restrained these years, we can't entirely rule out the possibility of danger, so you must be mentally prepared."I frowned, puzzled, and asked, "If it's dangerous, why take this route?""Everyone has a gambler's mentality, especially merchants. If we don't go through the strait and take the detour, the journey will increase by half a month. Besides, other sea routes are also perilous, with the risk of running aground and increasing the cost burden. Since pirates have been less active in recent years, everyone feels more at ease choosing this path."Wilmot explained in detail, but I felt there was more to it than met the eye."Do you have a different perspective?""I just think we should always prepare for the worst, especially
Third person's POVTabitha shook her head and said, "It's better to avoid trouble. I'll just stay on the ship."Wilmot hesitated for a moment before asking, "Ms. Hartley, may I presumptuously inquire why you're risking your return to Seattle? Your health is already frail, and I've heard you don't have any relatives left in Seattle. What is it that you need to do there?""I have some matters to take care of."Tabitha replied, keeping her cards close to her chest without revealing any information.Seeing this, Wilmot tactfully closed his mouth and asked no further questions.He simply said, "Then you should rest early."After the cargo ship docked for supplies and repairs, it would take half a day.Tabitha didn't even disembark, staying in her room from beginning to end.She made a mark on the calendar with a red pen, watching the distance to Seattle grow closer, thinking to herself, just hold on a little longer, and soon
Third person's POVThe little boy noticed the girl's fear and quickly opened his arms to hold her.In a childish voice, he said, "Don't be afraid."He covered the girl's ears with his small hands, trying his best to soothe her fear, as she wasn't as brave as him.The thought of their father possibly dying in front of them like that dog made tears fall uncontrollably.She was scared, truly terrified.In this world, she only had her father and brother left. If something happened to her father, what would they do?The sea breeze howled wildly over the sea surface, and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks seemed close at hand.The siblings had an instinctive fear of the ocean since they were little.As they heard more and more people running towards them, the little girl bit her lips tightly, not daring to make a sound.Not far away, a huge cargo ship was anchored. At the moment the gunshots mingled with the
Third person's POVTabitha's eyes snapped open, and she sat up abruptly.She had just drifted off to sleep but had awakened suddenly for no apparent reason.Instinctively, she got out of bed and looked around. The sea was calm, with barely any waves. There was no sound around her. How, then, had she woken up?It was late. As Tabitha pushed open her door, she saw a man smoking not far away.In the days they had spent together, she had never seen Wilmot smoke, but there he was, leaning against the railing.The corridor was dimly lit, making it hard to see his face, and his body was largely shrouded in darkness.The only visible things were the glowing red tip of his cigarette and the outline of his long fingers.His entire aura was different from usual, like a cold moon encircled by dark mist, exuding an eerie and mysterious vibe.The moment he saw Tabitha, he flicked his finger, and the cigarette butt arced through the ni
Third person's POVThe little boy's face bore several scratches, and his small fingers were covered in wounds. Those tender little hands, stained with blood, were heart-wrenching.As Captain applied medicine to his injuries, the boy stood still, tears welling up in his eyes, but he stubbornly held them back.Captain stared at the boy for a while, feeling as if he recognized him as he reminded him of someone.After cleaning their wounds, Captain asked several questions but received no answers.After eating and drinking her fill, the little girl's head bobbed like a chick pecking at rice, and she fell asleep within minutes.The boy was clearly exhausted but stayed alert, watching Captain."You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you. What's your name? Did you get lost from your mom and dad?"The boy remained silent, not revealing a word.Captain sighed, "I've never seen such a vigilant child. Alright, I won't ask a
Third person's POVThe kitchen wasn't on this deck. The cargo the ship was transporting wasn't alive or fresh food products.Under normal circumstances, the smell of blood should not have appeared out of nowhere.However, thinking of the gunshot last night, Wilmot became more vigilant.He would not overlook any opportunity that could potentially harm Tabitha.After preparing breakfast for her, Wilmot quickly headed to the surveillance room.He figured that by checking the surveillance footage, he should be able to clear up all his doubts.The crew member in charge of monitoring the cameras was fast asleep, snoring loudly.Wilmot skillfully operated the equipment, starting to review the footage from half an hour ago.His fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, but he found that the surveillance system had malfunctioned, making it impossible to retrieve any relevant records.It was clear that someone had tampered wi
Third person's POVThey were about to enter the perilous area known as the Demon's Abyss.Wilmot was determined to eliminate the lurking danger.He believed that the intruder was hiding in the storage room. He wouldn't dare to come out.The storage room, which only contained some maintenance tools and was seldom visited, was the perfect hiding place.As Wilmot pushed open the door to the storage room, a pungent and musty odor assaulted his senses.It was mingled with a faint scent of blood.With the approaching evening and an overcast day, the entire sea was shrouded in darkness, and the storage room on the lower deck was pitch black.The only sound was the waves crashing against the ship, making the room eerily quiet.Wilmot stepped cautiously into the room, his intuition telling him that the person he was looking for was there.Wilmot knew that that man was like a venomous snake lurking in the dark, waiting for
Third person's POVAs soon as Tabitha stepped out of the house, the biting winter wind hit her face like a knife, stinging her skin.Just as Derek had said, everything had been arranged."Tabitha, the helicopter is ready. You can leave now.""Thank you.""However, the helipad is a bit far. You'll need to walk there.""That's fine," Tabitha waved it off.Wrapped in a thick down jacket, she buried her face in the hood. She felt as though someone was watching her, but she didn't dare look back.She was afraid that if she turned around, she wouldn't be able to leave. In her heart, she kept repeating, Don't look back. Just keep walking.Behind the curtains, Derek held Kyrian, who was crying silently. Kyrian reached out toward the empty air, as if trying to grab the hem of Tabitha's coat."Dad, I don't want Mom to leave. Will she abandon me?""No, she loves you. How could she abandon you? She's just leaving for a
Third person's POVThough he was just a child and didn't fully understand what had happened between Tabitha and Derek, he knew one thing—he loved Tabitha and wanted her to be happy."If this makes you happy, I don't mind. I'm just scared... scared you'll leave me," Kyrian said, his voice trembling slightly."Silly boy, didn't I tell you? You and your siblings are my most precious treasures. I love you so much, and I'll visit you often," Tabitha said gently.Then, she noticed the cord around Kyrian's neck and gently pulled it out. It was the small lock she'd designed for him years ago."I made this for you. It's engraved with my hopes for you, 'May you grow up happy and healthy every day.'"Kyrian reached out his hand. "Mom, you can't lie to me. You have to come see me again."Their fingers hooked together in a pinky promise, and Tabitha smiled softly."Okay, I promise. When you're a little older, we'll live together, alri
Third person's POVIn such a short time, Kyrian had already figured out his place in Tabitha's heart. He knew exactly where her soft spots were and used his natural childlike tears as a "weapon" to try to keep her from leaving.Though this might not make Tabitha happy, she couldn't bring herself to refuse him.What parent could say no to a child crying for candy?Especially when that child was the one she owed so much to, the one she wanted to give the entire world to.But he didn't want the world. He just wanted Tabitha to stay."I..." Tabitha started to speak, but Kyrian cut her off."Mom, I love you so much, and you love me, and my siblings too. I already don't have a complete family. Do you want my siblings to grow up without a dad, only imagining what he looks like, envying other kids' happy families? Mom, haven't you heard? A happy, complete childhood can heal a person for life, but an incomplete one takes a lifetime to heal."
Third person's POV"Back then was back then. Now is now. But I promise you, no matter what happens, I'll always love you," Tabitha said softly, gently stroking Kyrian's head. Her hand brushed through his soft fur, the warmth of a mother's love flowing through her touch.Kyrian's voice was small, tinged with hope. "Mom, can you spare a little love for Dad? He's actually kind of pitiful."His eyes showed sympathy for Derek. In his heart, both his parents were his greatest loves, and he longed for a complete family."There are plenty of people in this world who love your dad. He doesn't need mine," Tabitha replied, her tone carrying a hint of stubbornness. Despite her lingering feelings for Derek, the pain of the past made it hard for her to forgive."But to Dad, you're like oxygen to a fish. A fish can't live without oxygen," Kyrian said, snuggling closer to Tabitha.He pressed his body against hers, as if clinging to her love would make it st
Third person's POVKyrian obediently climbed over and was immediately pulled into Tabitha's embrace.From here, they could see the beautiful scenery outside. Kyrian realized that the training grounds looked completely different from this angle—probably because his mother was by his side.Tabitha smiled softly, her voice warm. "I chose your name. You were born with all my love.""Mom, you must have loved Dad a lot back then," Kyrian said, looking up with curious eyes."Yes, very much," Tabitha admitted honestly. "No matter how I feel about your dad now, you are my precious child, born after seven months of carrying you. Your dad took you away, and I didn't even know you existed. That's why I missed so many years of your life. But you need to know, I thought about you every single day. There wasn't a moment when I didn't miss you or wonder about you. I love you more than anyone in the world."Kyrian's mood brightened, a happy smile sprea
Third person's POVKyrian watched nervously as Tabitha cleaned and dressed his wounds.He didn't dare breathe too loudly, his eyes glued to her every move. His gaze was filled with dependence and longing.Every now and then, he'd glance quickly at Derek, his eyes questioning, desperate for reassurance that this wasn't a dream."Dad, is Mom really back?" His voice trembled, carrying the fragility and hope unique to a child.Derek reached out and gently tapped his nose. "Silly boy, she's really here."Kyrian's tense body relaxed slightly, and a shy smile crept onto his face.When Tabitha applied the ointment a little too firmly, he winced but stayed silent.His hands gripped the hem of his shirt, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. He was afraid that if he cried out in pain, Tabitha might leave.In his heart, he thought, As long as Mom stays, this pain is nothing.Kyrian had always been well-behaved, but n
Third person's POVAzazel was furious.To be honest, he hadn't planned to take things this far with Kyrian.He showed Kyrian some respect, but deep down, he knew most of the children here were orphans with no one to rely on.He'd been provoking Kyrian because he refused to fall in line. After all this time, Kyrian still wouldn't listen to him.Azazel had wanted to teach him a lesson and assert his dominance in front of the others.But Kyrian was tougher than he'd expected. Instead of backing down, he even fought back with a fierce determination that burned in his eyes.What's wrong with him? Why won't he give up?"You're dead, brat," Azazel snarled, raising his fist to deliver a crushing blow to Kyrian's head."Stop!"Kyrian closed his eyes, bracing for the impact his small body couldn't possibly withstand. But the blow never came.A hand shot out, gripping Azazel's wrist.Everyone turned to see Tabitha, breathless from running.Thankfully, she'd made it in time.What she didn't know
Third person's POVKyrian had barely taken a few bites when a tall boy walked over and flipped his tray onto the floor, sneering, "Go on, eat that."Tabitha's fists clenched in anger. "How can they bully him like this? He's already struggling!"Derek held her back. "Tabitha, don't act rashly. This place isn't just about physical training for him."Tabitha frowned. "Then what else is he here for?"Derek explained, "For people like us, growing up means training alongside peers who'll become your most trusted allies—like Alvin and Rolf. These are the people who'd take a bullet for you on the battlefield. If Kyrian grows up sheltered, handed a team of strangers, do you think they'd truly respect or protect him? One wrong move, and he could end up dead."Tabitha's anger began to fade. "What are you saying?"Derek's tone grew serious. "He's not just training his body. He's learning to lead, to earn the loyalty of these kids. They'll b
Third person's POVThe car slowly emerged from the underground garage, breaking through the darkness into the open air.The streets were adorned with mistletoe trees, people bustling about in preparation for Christmas."It's been years since we celebrated together," Derek said suddenly, his voice tinged with nostalgia."Yeah." In those days when survival was all that mattered, Tabitha hadn't had the luxury of thinking about holidays."It's the last day of the year. Where are you taking me?" Tabitha glanced at Derek."You'll see."The car wound its way out of the city, into the countryside. Snowflakes danced in the air, painting the world in white.The road grew steeper, the landscape wilder. Soon, there were no buildings in sight—just endless trees and snow.Tabitha gripped the armrest as the car jolted over uneven terrain. After what felt like hours, they reached a remote valley deep in the mountains. Even their p