His voice was full of fervor. “I used to believe that only women could become Voodoo Lwa, but years of research have shown me otherwise! It’s not about gender, it’s about the right ingredients. And you... you are the perfect ingredient!”
Mutoto’s excitement was palpable. “You’re the ideal candidate, the finest specimen. You—”
“Shut up!” Kirin snapped, delivering a swift kick that sent Mutoto sprawling at Yosef’s feet.
Yosef looked down at Mutoto with a mixture of disgust and contempt. He spoke slowly, his voice steady and cold. “You make Voodoo Lwa sound so powerful. According to you, Ivana can save anyone who’s dying, right?”
“Of course! Ivana is my first successful Voodoo Lwa, but she won’t be the last...” Mutoto’s eyes shone with a greedy hunger as he stared at Yosef.
“Then why is John still looking for a doctor? Unless Ivana isn’t as miraculous as you claim,” Yosef challenged.
“That’s impossible!” Mutoto struggled to his feet, glaring at
A short while later, John returned, freshly showered and in clean pajamas. He lifted the covers and climbed into bed.Diana immediately rolled over into his arms. As he held her close, the emptiness in his heart felt a little less hollow.He lay there with his eyes open, the darkness accentuating the clarity in his long, narrow eyes. After a while, he lowered his head, inhaling the scent of her hair, and whispered, "I have to take a trip tomorrow.""Hmm?" Diana lifted her head from his chest, looking puzzled. "A trip? How far?""Not sure yet, but even if it’s quick, it could take about a week," John said, his voice steady yet hesitant, unsure how to explain further."At least a week..." Diana muttered, sounding disappointed. "That’s quite long. Where are you going?""To a... remote place. I’m not exactly sure what it’s called," John replied slowly, not knowing how to elaborate.Diana, to his surprise, didn’t press further. She adjuste
Her lips tasted sweet, like the faintest hint of honey, and he knew he could never get enough of her. Diana was his addiction, the one he could never fully satiate.It was Diana who finally broke the kiss. She laughed softly. "We better stop, or I might just have to do something in front of everyone."The others, trying their best to remain inconspicuous, either turned their backs or stared off into the distance, hoping to avoid any collateral damage from the romantic scene. Ethan cleared his throat awkwardly, breaking the silence. "Boss, it's time to go."John glanced at the diamond-studded watch on his wrist, then cupped the back of Diana's head and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You should head back. I've got to go.""I'm watching you leave," Diana said, her voice full of reluctant resignation, clinging to him like unwilling to let him go.John gave her hair a playful tousle before turning away and climbing into the backseat of the car.
“What’s there to be bored about?” Ivana glanced out the window, her eyes momentarily clouded with sadness.“I didn’t think we’d go back there. I thought I’d escaped for good, that I’d never return…”Mitbahl perked up, ears pricking at the mention. "Back there?" She must mean that village, the one their captain had been investigating for ages. It was supposed to be a backward place known for making traditional medicines. The details were sketchy, and his curiosity was piqued.Ivana spoke softly, her tone distant. “That wretched place... whenever I think about it, I still feel uneasy. I remember…”Her words trailed off, as if a sudden thought had struck her. She turned to Mitbahl and offered a gentle smile.“Sorry, I didn’t mean to go on like that. I guess I’m just feeling a bit overwhelmed.”Mitbahl: …What do you remember? Just spit it out!Curiosity was gnawing at Mitbahl, but he couldn’t muster the courage to ask outright. He fixed h
“It’s a...doctor. No big deal, don’t worry,” John replied tenderly. “How have you been these days?”“I’m sick,” Diana said.“Sick?” John’s heart skipped a beat, tension returning.“Yeah, lovesick, missing you,” Diana teased.John’s worry faded, replaced by a faint joy in his heart. Diana’s voice came again, “I’m fine, really. Maybe I’ll even gain a few pounds by the time you’re back. But you be careful out there. You’re so good-looking, a girl might knock you out and then kidnap you.”Her teasing lightened John’s heavy mood. His lips curved into a slight smile. “Nobody dares mess with me, except you.”“You’re pretty good at being a rogue yourself,” Diana laughed. Every time he would start something, it would end with her begging for mercy.John was a man of few words, but he was all about action. They talked for an hour. Nearby, Mitbahl sat on a wooden stump, watching John’s tall figure in the distance. He clicked his tongue twice in
Freud hurried over, examined Mitbahl briefly, and then administered an antivenom injection. Mitbahl twitched a few times before his eyes fluttered open.John stood over him and asked, “Is he dead?”Freud shook his head. “No, this spider’s venom isn’t particularly lethal, but it acts fast. It causes temporary paralysis.”Mitbahl looked up at John with teary gratitude. “Boss, you were worried about me? Don’t worry, I’m tough; I’m not going anywhere…”Ignoring Mitbahl’s theatrics, John turned to Ivana and asked, “Do you know why Carl slaughtered everyone in the village?”Ivana froze. Was the man who took her called Carl? Her eyes flickered with a hint of recognition and anger.“It was because… I told him to,” she replied, her voice tinged with quiet rage. “They deserved it... But I only told him to kill my father and the uncles who insisted on practicing voodoo rituals. There should have been others left in the village…”She thought ther
Time for sleep.In dreams, she could see him. Maybe it was the drowsiness of pregnancy, or maybe the pillow, shirt, and tie carried John's scent, giving her a little bit of comfort. Diana soon drifted into a hazy sleep.And she began to dream.In her dream, she was waddling with her large belly, eagerly searching for John. After a long, difficult journey, she finally saw the man she longed for day and night. But to her surprise, there was someone else with John! He stood by the car, talking to someone with a tender expression on his face.Just as she was puzzled, she saw the car door open. Then, a person stepped out—a man, dressed in a sharp suit with a handsome face, and even his aura was cold and similar. The man’s face, however, was unusually pale, carrying a melancholic air.It was... Yosef!Diana was dumbfounded. She watched as Yosef walked up to John, said something, and John playfully tapped his nose. Yosef leaned into John’s embrace.
Ignoring Misoup’s words, Diana dialed Ben’s number.The phone rang for a while before someone answered.“Hello?”It wasn’t Ben’s voice. It was a younger man’s voice.Diana replied, “Hi, I’m looking for Ben.”There was a brief silence on the other end, followed by a hesitant voice.“Are you… Miss Diana Thompson?”“Yes, it’s me. Who’s this?”“I’m Hawkesworth. I am an assistant of FOT. We were on ‘I Am an Actor’. Remember?”“Oh, right,” Diana said as she recalled him. “So, where is Ben filming today? I was thinking of visiting the set.”“I’ll send you the address shortly. But Fly’s scenes are being filmed in private today. You might have to wait until they finish this shoot to see him.”“Alright, I’ll take a look around first.”Diana hung up and pondered for a moment. Since Ben was busy, she decided to visit someone else. Maybe… Andrew?She rarely visited Andrew’s office, so today seemed like a g
"Whoa, Misoup, calm down. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Sure, they’re both good-looking, but you shouldn't get any ideas. They're not for you..."Misoup shook her head. "No, madam, you misunderstood. I'm just curious."Her expression turned a bit awkward. "It's my first time seeing a couple of guys together like that. I think it's kind of fascinating..."Diana looked puzzled."But your brother's always going on about finding a boyfriend. I thought you’d be used to this by now!"Misoup replied, "My brother isn’t gay."Diana: "What?"Misoup: "He's just... psychopathic."Diana: "..."The film set where Ben was shooting was quite a distance away.After lunch, Diana started to feel drowsy. She dozed off in the car, slipping into a hazy nap for over an hour until they finally arrived at Ben’s shooting location.She woke up, wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth, and got out o