"What are you saying? Should I just sit back and watch all of the York family's assets fall into the hands of an outsider? Zoe, it's clear that over the years, your mind has been completely corrupted!" William seethed with anger.He could hardly believe that Zoe, who once stood firmly for the family, was now so willing to let everything go without a fight. He knew exactly what she was implying. Since the assets had been given to Nash, they should be left for him to manage, as if they could never be reclaimed. But Nash was not even truly part of the family!"Yes, my mind has been 'corrupted,'" Zoe replied coldly. "If you think I'm siding with an outsider, then this conversation is over." She had no interest in arguing or discussing matters that held no meaning for her anymore. She had more important things on her mind, like visiting Nash and Nina's son, eager to see how he might inherit his parents' remarkable traits.William’s anger only grew hotter. He was already furious, but
For Nina, if she had to choose between a wedding and her child, she would choose the child."But right now, Orion...""Don't you want to fill in the gaps and make up for our regrets?" Nash interrupted her, his voice firm.Make up for regrets... Nina had loved Nash for so long. She wanted to close that chapter even more than he did. But they were no longer young. Star was already grown up. Wouldn't people think they were just putting on a show if they had a wedding now?"Let's go and remarry today," Nash said, stepping closer to Nina. He took her hand with one of his and handed her the bouquet of roses with the other. The food he had brought along, he handed to Orion.Orion, understanding his parents' need for privacy and that they needed to reconnect, quietly took the food and left the room, leaving Nash and Nina alone."We can go and remarry today, but as for the wedding..." Nina hesitated."What are you worried about? If people in their seventies and eighties can renew the
The pastries were from the famous Carol’s Bakery. It was clear that Nash had put a lot of thought into it.When Orion heard Zoe’s voice, he looked up at her. He did not say anything, but he took in her appearance. She was young and very pretty, especially with her gentle voice."You… are…" Orion spoke slowly. Although there were many people around him these days, he still did not talk much, and when he did, he spoke slowly.Zoe immediately realized that something was off. She could not imagine the hardships this child had been through for him to speak so hesitantly. He must have suffered a lot.Zoe extended her hand to him. "I’m your dad’s aunt, so you can call me Great Aunt Zoe."Would you like to go out with me?"Orion did not answer. His large eyes blinked twice. Then, he shook his head, "I… need… to… wait… for… Mommy…"The word "Mommy" was the only one Orion could say clearly. Seeing that he was not willing, Zoe did not push him further. Instead, she sat down to wait with hi
Eve felt a bit embarrassed. "It looks like my fiancé might not be coming after all.""What?" Nina was taken aback.But then, she got straight to the point. "If someone can stand you up on your wedding day, I think you need to seriously reconsider this person.""Got it. Thank you, Nina," Eve replied.Nash looked at Eve and asked, "Need any help?"After all, Eve was Grandpa George's granddaughter. Nash could not just ignore her.Eve shook her head. "I appreciate it, but I can handle this on my own."Her fiancé had stood her up. If they helped, it would just be to drag the guy out, give him a good beating, and demand an apology. But after all that, the wedding would definitely be off. She could manage that on her own.Nash wrapped his arm around Nina's shoulder. "If you need anything, call me.""I will."With that, Nash and Nina left the county clerk's office. Eve stayed behind, but her gaze was firm and her expression grew colder.On the way back, Nash was already thinking abo
Nina lowered her head, feeling shy despite being in her thirties. She could not bring herself to meet Zoe’s gaze.Nash said, "We’re not deliberately flaunting anything. I owe Nina too much. Now, whatever she wants, as long as it’s within my power, I’ll give it to her."And even if it was not within his power, he would move heaven and earth to make it happen."Alright, alright, no need to tell me all this. Do whatever makes you happy," Zoe quickly waved her hand, signaling she had heard enough.Zoe stayed at the York residence because she adored Orion. Nash, meanwhile, took charge of every detail of the wedding, refusing to leave anything to chance.On the wedding day, many close friends came. Hunter, Caleb, Ben, Yvonne, and even Eve. Grandpa George, despite his age, personally came to offer his blessings to Nash. Pharaoh, Micah, and Freya were also there, as well as Scarlett and James.Scarlett and James had planned to marry that year, but James’s commitments kept delaying their
At that moment, Nash and Nina were exchanging rings when Remi burst in."Wait! You’re already finishing the ceremony, and I haven’t even given you my gift yet?" Remi’s loud voice cut through the crowd, leaving the guests exchanging uneasy glances. Those who knew her could not hide their discomfort. Pharaoh shot Micah a glance, and Micah strode over to confront her."Can’t whatever you need wait until after the wedding?" Micah’s tone was firm as he approached, with Freya quickly joining him, surrounding Remi.This time, Freya was not just a bystander. She was here to protect.Remi smirked. "Didn’t I make myself clear? I’m here to deliver a wedding gift. Why are you all so tense? It’s just me, after all. It’s not like I could ruin the whole wedding on my own, right?"Though Remi had arrived alone, no one was ready to let their guard down. After all, she was once Nash’s arranged fiancée under Dominic’s orders. And she had never truly let go of her feelings for him.Micah firmly gr
"The whole thing with Miranda," Nash began, his voice firm, "was because she once saved my life. I owed her a debt of gratitude. I didn’t explain before because I didn’t want to make things worse, and honestly, I don’t need to explain myself to anyone. But now, I’m committed to being with Nina, and I won’t tolerate anyone trying to slander or hurt her."He paused, glancing toward Remi. "As for the woman standing here today, she’s someone my biological father arranged for me to marry. From the start, I made my feelings clear that I don’t love her, and I never intended to marry her."He continued, "I appreciate your presence at my wedding to Nina, and I welcome it. But if you're here with any other intentions, there's nothing I can do about that."Nash’s tone sharpened. "I’ve said everything that needed to be said. Anything beyond this is not my concern, and I won’t be offering further explanations."With those final words, he signaled to Quincy, who arrived with security. Remi’s s
Nash pursed his lips, just about to say something, when Nina walked over. "Dad, I know about the fiancée. It was arranged by his biological father, and he never accepted it from the beginning."Zion frowned, "Are you sure you're not just covering for him?"Nina had always stood by Nash, even in the past when she did not ask for any title, not even a wedding. Nash had revealed in front of everyone that he was not part of the York family, making it clear how much Nina meant to him. He was willing to face public judgment just to protect her. The wedding was grand, and it was undoubtedly unforgettable.Nina smiled softly, "Dad, after everything we've been through, we have a child, and we’ve remarried. We’re a team now."Being a team meant helping each other out as a couple. Wasn’t that normal?"Nash, I'm warning you, don't you dare treat her like before, or I won’t let you off easy!" Zion’s stern gaze locked onto Nash.Nash tightened his arm around Nina's waist. "Don't worry, Fathe
At the time, Wilfred had already guessed that this had everything to do with Harley and his mentor, Professor Zeller. “You and your so-called association don’t focus on benefiting patients. Instead, you spend all your time trying to monopolize everything. And now you want to turn me into one of you? Keep dreaming.” Wilfred’s tone was filled with disdain, his eyes cold with contempt. The smug smile on Harley’s face slowly faded. With a sneer, Harley’s voice turned bitter. “You know what I despise most about you? That self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitude of yours. I was offering you advice, but if you don’t want to hear it, fine. There’s nothing more to say. After all, if the surgery fails—” Before he could finish the word “fail,” the surgical light outside the operating room flicked off. Clack!The sliding doors parted, and Karina burst through, her face flushed with emotion. She didn’t even notice Harley. Her focus zeroed in on Wilfred. “Wilfred!” Her voice trem
As the surgery approached, Karina worked overtime, meticulously double-checking for any possible oversights. Before stepping into the operating room, she took a deep breath."Karina, you’ve got this!" a nurse beside her encouraged.This surgery was particularly significant, and the assistants and nurses weren’t from her hospital. They were brought in by the project, specifically by Harley’s team. Without a single familiar face around, Karina felt a twinge of anxiety. Opportunities to lead surgeries were already rare for her, let alone under circumstances like this, with no one she could truly rely on.But there was no turning back now. Gritting her teeth, Karina donned her gloves. As she was about to enter the operating room, her peripheral vision caught sight of a figure standing silently in the distance. It was Wilfred. His steady gaze met hers, his eyes carrying something profound she couldn’t quite decipher. When their eyes locked, a faint smile curved his lips.In th
“Ava.”A deep voice cut through the air, and Karina turned to see a man in a black suit, wearing a hat and a mask, striding toward them. But the man’s white eyelashes and distinctive eyes were all Karina needed to recognize him. He was her albino patient, Xavier Jasper!Xavier also didn’t expect to run into both Wilfred and Karina here. “It’s you two,” he exclaimed in surprise.Wilfred’s gaze sharpened as he calmly addressed Xavier. “Keep your sister in line. Apologize.”Before Xavier could respond, Ava stepped forward and, to everyone’s surprise, said, “I’m sorry. I was too impulsive. Please forgive me.” Karina was taken aback by how quickly Ava apologized. Even Xavier, who knew his sister’s arrogant tendencies well, looked stunned.Karina nodded, her tone steady but firm. “I forgive you, but that doesn’t mean everyone else will. You should work on your attitude. Stop acting so entitled everywhere you go.” With that, Karina turned on her heel and walked away. Although Xavie
”Those were her meticulously compiled notes, the result of hours of hard work—and now they were ruined just like that?” Karina thought.“I’ve never wronged you. Why would you do something like this?” she demanded, her voice trembling with indignation. Something about the situation felt off, and Karina’s sharp intuition told her this wasn’t a simple misunderstanding.Under Karina’s intense gaze, the nurse finally broke down, revealing Ava’s role in orchestrating the whole thing. Karina’s anger turned into a mix of rage and incredulous amusement. “Really? Rich people—did they all enjoy throwing money around like this?”All this trouble, just to ruin her hard-earned work over a seat?Her carefully compiled notes were gone, and there wasn’t a second copy. Arguing wouldn’t bring them back, but Ava wasn’t going to let this slide without giving someone a piece of her mind.Finding Ava wasn’t difficult. In fact, Ava didn’t even try to avoid her. She seemed to be waiting, eager to see
Just as Ava was about to cause a scene, the sound of steady footsteps filled the room. Wilfred strode in, his white coat enhancing his composed, almost ethereal aura. Ava shot Karina a glare, silently committing her to memory, then begrudgingly found another seat. Wilfred’s gaze swept across the room, pausing ever so briefly on Karina before moving on. She wasn’t sure if it was real or just her imagination. “Today, we’ll discuss cellular structures. I’ll start with an example from my doctoral thesis,” Wilfred announced, adjusting the projector. To Karina’s surprise, he was an exceptional lecturer—clear, engaging, and far more comprehensible than many university professors. She listened intently, taking meticulous notes. Yvette peeked over at Karina’s notebook, wide-eyed at the densely packed writing. “Karina, when you eventually get promoted, land a big raise, or go for your doctorate, I promise I won’t be jealous. Truly.”Karina chuckled. “If you need these notes, I can len
Karina glanced at the time and quickly gestured for Yvette to sit down as well. However, barely had they taken their seats when a haughty woman marched up to Karina, her sharp gaze fixed on the chair she was sitting on. “You, get up. I want that seat!” Karina frowned, studying the unfamiliar woman. She didn’t recognize her from the hospital, but the designer jewelry around her neck and the branded bag on her arm screamed wealth. She seemed like the kind of entitled socialite who rarely had to fight for anything, let alone a seat.Unsure if the woman was trying to pick a fight or genuinely wanted the chair, Karina pointed to the open seats nearby. “There are plenty of seats over there. Take one of those.”Then, she lowered her head, dismissing the woman entirely.The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Excuse me? I said I want your seat. Get up. Now!” Not content with words alone, she reached out to pull Karina up by force. Karina, now genuinely angry, shook her off. “I was h
Karina looked slightly surprised. She distinctly remembered that Wilfred wasn’t a drinker. “I thought you avoided alcohol?” Wilfred, ever the epitome of control and composure, preferred to steer clear of anything that dulled his sharpness. Back when they worked at the Birkham Central Hospital, she had seen him reject bottles of expensive wine from people trying to curry favor with him. He sipped his tea slowly before replying, “You’ve started at a new hospital. As your former mentor, I haven’t given you a proper congratulatory gift yet.” “This is… for me?” Karina asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. Wilfred’s gaze was steady as he replied, “Don’t like it? If not, I can send it back and we can find something else later.” He raised his hand to call the server over. “Wait! No need. I like it a lot,” Karina interjected hastily, stopping him in his tracks. The idea of going gift shopping with him later felt uncomfortably like a date. And knowing Wilfred’s personality, w
Wilfred’s gaze swept over her without a word, and Karina climbed into the car on her own. When choosing her seat, she instinctively moved toward the back, but before she could get in, Wilfred spoke, “Sit in the front. It’s more convenient.” Karina hesitated briefly. Not wanting to appear overly particular, she complied and took the passenger seat. Although there was a saying that the front seat was reserved for a girlfriend, Wilfred didn’t strike her as someone who cared about such details. She decided to pretend she didn’t know. After buckling her seatbelt, a phone suddenly appeared in front of her. She looked up, her face full of confusion and surprise. Wilfred glanced sideways at her, one hand on the steering wheel, the car still stationary. “I haven’t decided on a restaurant yet. I’ll be driving soon. You pick something.” Karina took the phone. As Wilfred drove, she scrolled through the options, narrowing it down to three restaurants. But her mild indecisivenes
Karina forced a smile. “Really, it’s fine. You all go ahead.”Yvette pouted, her disappointment clear as she relented. “Alright then.”Once the others had left, Karina tried to refocus on work. She pulled out her research materials, determined to get something done. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept wandering. The cheerful chatter from outside finally snapped her out of it, making her realize just how distracted she had been.Karina gave a wry smile and muttered to herself, “This is why you don’t get ahead of yourself. Seriously, one of life’s biggest delusions.”For a fleeting moment, she had thought Wilfred might feel something for her too. But it was better this way, she told herself—better to wake up now than to fall in too deep later. Romance wasn’t her strong suit; focusing on her career was safer.While others might drown their heartbreak in food or a night out, Karina chose the most grueling outlet: work. It might be exhausting, but it was effective. S