The Hag's once-clouded eyes were now shining with disbelief.
“It’s blooming… do you see that… am I dreaming?!”
John lowered his gaze.
He spoke softly.
“Yes, I see it.”
In the center of the dark soil, a small green shoot had emerged.
It was like a faint light in the endless darkness, symbolizing a glimmer of hope.
The Hag held the flower pot, muttering to herself.
“How is this possible… Is there really true love in the world? How could this flower bloom…”
“I... I’ve waited a hundred years, a hundred years…”
She seemed almost delirious, rambling incoherently.
Jackson stepped forward, his face lighting up with joy.
“Now that the Heart’s Desire has bloomed, does that mean you'll keep your promise and come down the mountain with us to save those people?”
The Hag seemed not to hear him. She cradled the flower, mumbling incoherently to herself. Suddenly, to everyone’s surprise, two tears slid down he
Carl’s eyes glinted, and he snapped the laptop shut with a decisive click. A cold smile spread across his face. "I knew it... She couldn’t stay loyal for long."Lowering his head, a dangerous light flickered in his eyes. "Betraying me has dire consequences."Doom asked, "Boss, what’s the plan?""She’s just a pawn. Her life was in my hands from the start. If she won’t obey, there’s no point in keeping her around." Carl glanced at Doom. "You know where the male Voodoo insect is. Kill her."...After narrowly escaping the mudslide, John and his team found themselves safe and sound. The torrential rain that had plagued them suddenly ceased, and the sky cleared, revealing a bright rainbow. It seemed like a sign that things were finally looking up.They started their descent down the mountain. Ivana, soaked from the rain, was feeling a bit under the weather, so Mitbahl carried her on his back. Despite her cold and dizziness, Ivana was in high spir
Meanwhile, on the other end, Diana put down the phone, her face pale and covered in sweat. She clutched her belly, looking as white as a sheet."Goddamn it... This hurts like hell!"She had woken up that morning with a severe nosebleed that wouldn't stop. Even after going to the hospital, the bleeding persisted. Then, the stomach pains began, growing more intense by the minute. At seven months pregnant, she feared she might be going into labor prematurely.Jacob stood nearby, his face etched with worry. "Dr. Myers, what's going on? She used to stop bleeding pretty quickly. Now she's in so much pain. Is the baby going to be okay?""Don't worry, I'm running some tests," Dr. Myers said, but his anxious expression betrayed his words. He and several other doctors crowded around Diana, looking anything but calm.Diana bit her lip, gripping the hospital bed's rail so hard that her knuckles turned white. "It hurts so bad!"With a fierce cry, she yan
Yosef had been keeping tabs on Diana’s situation through some contacts. Yesterday, he received news that her health had taken a turn for the worse. Mr. Nelson then sent Kirin to find out the truth. No sooner had Kirin arrived than he saw Diana being rushed into the emergency room. What timing.Misoup looked puzzled.“Why are you so concerned about our Madam?”Kirin: … I don’t give a damn! I’m being forced to care!Just as Kirin was about to respond, a man walked briskly towards them from the hospital entrance. It was Jacob. His gaze fell on Kirin, scrutinizing him for a moment before turning to Misoup.“What’s going on?” Jacob asked.Misoup shook his head. “I’m not sure,” he said, frowning. “He seems like he’s looking for trouble. Maybe we should just deal with him now.”Kirin: …“I’m not here to cause trouble. I just need to know how Diana is doing so I can report back to Mr. Nelson. Come on, we’re all just working stiffs. Let
The Operating RoomThe man, dressed in a white hospital gown, leaned against the bed, his once handsome face now drained of color, like a pale sculpture. His gaze was fixed on the adjacent hospital bed.On the bed lay Diana, her eyes gently closed, her expression serene and innocent, as if she were merely asleep. She looked incredibly frail.This was the second time he had seen her like this. The first time was when she had fallen into the water. In that moment, he had come to understand his own heart clearly, realizing that he had fallen for her.And now, for her, he was willing to give up his own life.Yosef stared at her intently. His gaze traced down from her face to her abdomen. The once prominent bulge of her stomach had now flattened.The doctor had said that she had just undergone a C-section. It was for the sake of that child that she had ended up in such a perilous situation.Yosef's eyes flickered slightly. She had a child
"Miss Thompson, you're awake!" Doctor Myers exclaimed with excitement as he approached. "The blood transfusion was a success. We'll need to run some follow-up tests.""Alright," Diana replied, extending her wrist.John turned slightly, glancing at Doctor Myers, who was trying to maintain his composure despite the sweat on his brow. He had feared that he might end up sharing Diana's fate, but things had taken a surprising turn. It was true; good deeds do bring good fortune.After conducting several tests, Doctor Myers was visibly pleased. "Your recovery is remarkable. The organs that were failing have returned to normal and are even showing signs of enhanced function. The side effects from the special drug are completely gone!"Doctor Myers assured her with confidence, "I can guarantee that you're going to be just fine!"Just as he finished speaking, Diana suddenly clutched her stomach, a look of discomfort crossing her face."What's wrong?"
Upon hearing this, Diana fell silent for a moment, then looked at John with a discerning gaze.“But baby, why are you telling me this? It’s not like you to share so much.”“I’m giving you the facts. The choice is yours—to stay or to go.”A spark flickered in Diana’s eyes.“What if I say… I want to stay and help him? Will you be angry?”John didn’t reply immediately. His deep, dark eyes fixed intently on her face. Then, he leaned in slightly and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.“No, I won’t be angry. I’ve always… fully trusted you.”His whispered words caressed her ears. If the timing wasn’t so wrong, she’d have pounced on him right there in the backseat.Overcome with emotion, Diana reached out and pinched John’s handsome face.“Baby, you’d better keep that damn charm in check, or I might just lose control!”“You think you’ve got the strength?”“Want to find out?”Diana chuckled, narrowing her ey
Swallowing his curses, Stanleigh held his tongue.Fred spoke slowly."Aren’t we supposed to be having a meeting? If Yosef isn’t feeling well, let's not delay any longer. He should come and clear things up."Godber replied unhurriedly, "Not everyone is here yet."Only half of the Nelson family's close relatives had arrived.The rest were still missing.Upon hearing this, the assembled Nelson family members exchanged glances, a hint of a smile in their eyes.Gleick smiled and said, "I doubt they’ll make it."As soon as he spoke, Godber's phone rang.He reached out and answered it.Whatever the person on the other end said made Godber's expression turn icy.Kirin asked, "What's going on?""It's Fred. He says the Nelson estate is in chaos. Key shareholders and relatives are being held against their will and won't be released until they sign some agreement.""What kind of agreement?"Before
Everyone had heard of Yosef Nelson's secret guards. Each one was as formidable as a monster.Who would have thought that this eerie guy was one of them?Carl sat on the couch, his expression unchanged.He flexed his knuckles."You all seem pretty loyal, but... if Yosef were in my hands, would you still resist?"As he spoke, Carl pulled out his phone, a smile playing on his lips, and dialed a number.After a few rings, someone picked up.He began, "Have you reached the hospital yet?""Boss, we’re here, but...""But what?""We don't see Yosef! It's strange. We followed Kevin in, but... Ahhh!!!"A scream suddenly erupted from the other end of the line.This was followed by the sounds of a fierce struggle, gunshots, and more screams, then silence.Carl's expression darkened as he looked over at Godber and Kirin.He saw their mocking faces.Godber clicked his tongue against his cheek,