It was partly his fault. When Nina booked the room, he had not been clear enough with her, leading her to believe that they had reached the stage of sharing a bed. Suppressing the frustration rising within him, Micah said softly, "You take the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor."After all, he had survived the harsh conditions in the northern regions of their homeland. This was nothing in comparison. But Freya, who loved him deeply, could never let him sleep on the floor.In a hoarse voice, Freya said, "Micah, you take the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor instead. Or maybe…"Before she could finish her sentence, Micah interrupted sternly, "Did you not hear? It's peak tourist season. If you go out now, there’s no guarantee you’ll find another room. And you wandering off alone? How does that even make sense?"Freya lowered her head, as she always did when she was around Micah. She never dared to raise her voice, always presenting the gentlest, best version of herself for him. But to Micah,
Pharaoh gently patted Orion's head. "We’ve eaten. Orion, why don’t you ask your mom and dad if they’ve eaten too?""Okay." Orion’s speech was slow, but every word was sincere. He then repeated Pharaoh's words to Nina, which made her very happy. It was the most complete sentence Orion had spoken in a while.Nina responded, "Mom and Dad have eaten. And guess what? We ran into your uncle while we were here. Orion, would you like to come join us for some fun?"As she asked this, Nina glanced over at Nash beside her. If Orion said yes, they could easily bring him over, since they had the means to do so.Nash smiled warmly at Orion. "What do you think, buddy? Do you want to come?"Orion shook his head and looked up at Pharaoh before responding, "Orion... wants to stay... Grandpa is... helping Orion get better...""Alright then. Stay with your grandpa, and make sure to listen to him. When we come back, we’ll bring you a present. And once you’re feeling better, we’ll take you out to pl
Unexpectedly, in just a moment, Micah and Freya had lost track of Nina and the others. Freya thought about trying to find them, but Micah suggested, "We're all adults with phones. There's GPS and we won't get lost. Let's take a walk over there instead."Freya considered it and realized he had a point. She followed him in the opposite direction. After a few steps, they came across a little girl selling flowers. She looked about seven or eight, with a thin frame and worn-out clothes."Miss," the little girl approached Freya, holding up a bundle of flowers. "You're so beautiful. Would you like to buy some flowers?"Before Freya could respond, the girl continued, "I picked these flowers this morning. They're really cheap, and if you buy one, I'll throw in another for free."She was starving and desperately wanted something to eat. But she had not sold a single flower all day, and her sick mother and baby sister were at home waiting for her. If she did not make any money, what would t
The Yaren Tribe had been through war, and with Freya's determination to follow Micah, her combat skills had reached an elite level. The thug struggled to shake her off, but Freya pinned him down effortlessly. "Still not giving up?" she taunted. "I’ll take you straight to the police!"She was not interested in arguing with him.The moment he heard the word "police," the thug panicked and began pleading, "I'll give the money back! I'll double it! Just let me go, and please, don’t take me to the police!""Spit out the money first," Freya demanded.He did not dare refuse. Freya only took back the little girl’s share, refusing the double offer. With one hand firmly gripping the thug, she used the other to call the police. She knew that without dealing with him thoroughly, he would just cause more trouble later.The thug was unlucky to have crossed paths with her.After the police arrived and took him away, Freya handed the girl some extra money. "Little one, this is all I can do to
Just thinking about these things made Freya feel incredibly happy."What are you daydreaming about, grinning like that?" Micah frowned, snapping her back to reality.There was no way she could let Micah know what she had been imagining. She quickly shook her head. "Nothing. Let’s pick up the pace."......Meanwhile, Nina was not too worried about getting separated from Micah and Freya. She knew they would not really lose track of each other and figured they probably needed some space. She and Nash strolled along, pausing to take pictures now and then.In the distance, she spotted a film crew shooting a movie, which made her think of Nelly. Shen had gone on to become a famous director, and Penelope was now a well-known actress. In the beginning, they would send her messages frequently, but as everyone got busier, those messages became less frequent, though the friendship remained.After this honeymoon, there were some things she needed to address."If you want to break into the e
In no time at all, Freya and Micah had taken down the group of thugs, swiftly and efficiently. Even in the middle of the scuffle, they managed to call the police. With the crowd growing around them, Freya seized the moment, raising her voice deliberately, "I just turned this guy over to the police not long ago, and less than an hour later, he's out here again with more people trying to pick a fight with us. What's going on? Is this a local crime syndicate?"Her words drew the attention of even more onlookers, forcing the authorities to respond."We reprimanded him, had him write an apology and a statement of guarantee, but it seems he’s back at it, gathering people to cause trouble. Rest assured, we will eliminate any criminal forces and give everyone a proper explanation!" an officer declared.To ensure the issue was fully addressed, Micah revealed his identity to the local authorities, making it clear that this would not be swept under the rug.Freya felt a bit embarrassed. "I
Micah still did not give her an immediate answer. "It's too early to decide. When the time comes, you might regret it.""If there's no country, there’s no home. I’ve known you for a long time, and I understand your responsibilities. Micah, I’m ready to accept everything about you with no conditions. If I’m lying, may I never have peace!" Freya even raised her hand, ready to make an oath, desperate for him to believe her.Micah gently grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Don't make such vows lightly. I believe you. I know your heart is with me, and you're a good woman. But I'm not an ordinary man. My life belongs to the Yaren Tribe.""But you can’t give your whole life to the tribe. Even your father got married and had children. You can’t live your life alone. I can…"Before she could finish, Freya wrapped her arms around Micah. People passed by, but in that moment, all she could see was him. She only wanted Micah."I know. Let me think about it.""Okay." Freya beamed, feeling like sh
After investigating, all signs pointed to Remi. She had not given up after failing to achieve her goal at the wedding.But now that she had been caught, Nash was not going to let her get away with it. Remi was brought before him and Nina, bound hand and foot. Her eyes seethed with rage as she glared at Nina, lying in bed with an IV in her arm, wishing she could tear her to pieces."We’ve come this far, and you still haven’t given up," Nina said with a calm smile. "I know your feelings for Nash are real. Otherwise, why would you be so eager to become my son’s stepmother?"Remi had known Nash had a son, and it had not stopped her. She knew about the wedding, and still, she did not back down. If that wasn’t love, what was it?Nina exchanged a glance with Nash, signaling her intentions. However, Nash did not trust Remi enough to leave Nina alone with her.Nina chuckled softly. "She’s all tied up, and you’re right outside the door. Plus, you’ve got your men here. What could she possibl
Her eyes turned redder, tears stubbornly welling up as if refusing to fall. Karina, watching the girl’s pained struggle, felt a pang of sympathy. She was about to say something to console her when Wilfred gently pulled her behind him, shielding her once more.His gaze remained cold, but his tone carried an unmistakable impatience. “That’s enough. This ends here. Don’t come bothering us again.”The girl froze as if struck by his blunt and merciless words. Her body trembled, and at last, the tears spilled over, rolling down her cheeks and hitting the ground in heavy drops. She opened her mouth, managing to squeeze out a broken, choked whisper: “I… I just…” But the rest of her words were swallowed by the overwhelming tide of her emotions, dissolving into silence.Wilfred frowned slightly but didn’t respond further. He simply took Karina’s hand and turned to leave. Just as they were about to walk away, the girl suddenly shouted hysterically, “Wilfred, I’ve liked you for so long! E
Karina sensed the girl’s unfriendly gaze and instinctively moved closer to Wilfred. Without a word, Wilfred casually placed a hand on her shoulder, a subtle but protective gesture. The girl’s jealousy flared even stronger at the sight. Forcing a strained smile, she turned to Karina and asked, “And who might this be?”Wilfred answered before Karina could speak. “This is Karina, my… friend.” As he spoke, he glanced at Karina, a trace of warmth flickering in his gaze, unnoticed by anyone but her. The girl let out a faint scoff. “A friend, huh? Dr. Wilfred, you’re always so busy with work. It’s rare for you to take time off, yet you didn’t think to invite me? I thought we were close. After all, you took such good care of me when I was your patient.”Her voice was laced with grievance and subtle reproach. Wilfred frowned slightly. His tone remained polite but distant. “It’s good that you’ve recovered. Taking time off is just for relaxation. I didn’t give it much thought.”Though
“Be careful,” Wilfred whispered, his voice carrying a barely noticeable tremor. Karina leaned into his embrace and said softly, “Thank you. I was too careless.”They proceeded cautiously down the corridor and arrived at a room filled with ancient books and peculiar instruments. Curious, Karina picked up a dusty old book. As soon as she opened it, the faint sound of gears turning echoed in the room. Slowly, a stone table emerged from the center of the floor, revealing a complex puzzle box resting on top.Karina studied the puzzle box carefully, noticing that each piece was engraved with unique symbols and patterns. She tried fitting a few pieces together but couldn’t make sense of it. Meanwhile, Wilfred searched the room for other clues and discovered an ancient mural in one corner. The mural depicted several figures gathered around a similar-looking box, seemingly performing some kind of ritual. He examined the gestures and expressions of the figures in the mural and suddenly
Wilfred snapped out of his thoughts, meeting Karina’s eager gaze. Without hesitation, he nodded. “Sure, as long as it’s something you’ll enjoy.”The two of them arrived at an escape room venue, where the receptionist greeted them warmly.Karina asked curiously, “Hi, we’d like to play an escape room. What themes do you have?”The receptionist smiled and began explaining, “We have a horror-themed ‘Midnight Fright,’ an adventure-themed ‘Lost Tomb,’ and a mystery-themed ‘Misty Manor.’ Each has its own level of difficulty and style.”Wilfred looked at Karina. She thought for a moment before saying, “Let’s try ‘Lost Tomb.’ It sounds mysterious and fun.”The receptionist nodded. “This theme is very popular, but it’s also quite challenging. Are you sure?”Wilfred replied confidently, “No problem. We’ll go with this one.”“All right,” the receptionist continued. “The ticket price for this theme is $30 per person. If you complete it within the time limit, you’ll even get a special gift fr
Leonard, a cheerful and outgoing young man, worked skillfully at the machine while apologizing profusely. “Sorry about this. I don’t know what’s up with this machine today. It’s being a bit temperamental. I hope it’s not causing too much trouble for you.”Karina smiled back warmly. “It’s no problem at all.”As Leonard glanced up at Karina and Wilfred, he couldn’t help but comment, “You two look great together! Are you on a date?”Karina’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she opened her mouth to clarify, but Wilfred cut in first. “Thank you. It’s a rare day off, so I thought I’d take her out to relax.”Startled, Karina glanced at him in surprise, but the unexpected sweetness of his words brought a quiet warmth to her heart.Leonard grinned knowingly. “This movie’s been super popular lately. Lots of couples have been coming to watch it. You’re lucky to have snagged tickets—later in the day, it’s almost impossible to get seats.”Wilfred nodded politely. “Is that so? Then I suppose we’re
Karina couldn’t reconcile the composed, confident, and highly skilled Wilfred she knew with the idea of him as a slave. Her lips trembled as though she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. Wilfred noticed the shock in her expression and let out a faint, bitter smile before continuing. “In that dark, endless hell, I was subjected to all kinds of drug experiments every day. My body and mind were pushed to the brink, treated as nothing more than a tool. My life and death were entirely in their hands.” A sharp pang shot through Karina’s chest as she listened. She couldn’t begin to imagine the suffering Wilfred had endured. “How did you escape?” she managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. Wilfred’s gaze grew distant, his eyes clouded with memories. “There was a rare moment of carelessness during a transfer. I seized the opportunity with everything I had left and escaped. After that, I hid my identity, pouring all my effort into studying medici
Instead of heading out to eat, Wilfred decided to head home. It was the weekend, and with Mrs. Santos off-duty, they could cook for themselves. The fridge had just enough ingredients left for a proper meal. Karina pulled out an unopened carton of cream and called toward the living room, “Do you like cream of mushroom soup?” A response came from Wilfred, and with his approval, she got to work preparing the ingredients. The dishes she planned weren’t particularly complicated, so in no time, the table was filled with food. After all the bustling in the kitchen, Karina almost forgot the reason she had come in the first place. But seeing Wilfred pick up his utensils brought her back to her thoughts. “I wanted to ask you about your sleepwalking last night. Mrs. Santos said it happens often,” she said, her tone filled with concern. Karina had known Wilfred for quite a while now, and their relationship was fairly close. Yet she had never heard about his sleepwalking, not from hi
Yvette’s expression lit up with the thrill of gossip. “Who are we talking about? Is it Dr. Wilfred?” “It’s about a friend,” Karina lied smoothly, her face betraying nothing. Yvette’s face immediately screamed, “Yeah, right.”“Come on, at least come up with a better excuse. That ‘it’s for a friend’ line is so overused it’s practically expired,” she teased, before shifting gears. “Alright, spill the details. And don’t leave anything out. I want to know everything. Not just for gossip but to help you figure things out.” With no other choice, Karina recounted Wilfred’s hot-and-cold behavior toward her. After hearing the story, Yvette leaned back with a sharp hiss, as if processing something heavy. “I think your, uh, friend’s boyfriend might just have something he’s keeping to himself. Maybe there’s a reason he doesn’t want her to know.” Karina’s brows furrowed slightly. “Think about it,” Yvette continued. “If he really didn’t care, would he have been so quick to catch he
Karina stood, but as she took a step, her foot caught on something, and she nearly fell. Before she could hit the ground, Wilfred caught her. The unexpected gesture left Karina more confused than ever. If he was so cold and distant moments ago, why would he help her like this? She wasn’t the only one caught off guard. Wilfred himself was surprised by his reaction. It had been pure instinct. The moment he saw her about to fall, he moved to catch her without a second thought. It was as if his heart acted faster than his words ever could. Before she could ask anything, Wilfred released her quickly, his demeanor detached once more, as if trying to explain away his actions. “Regardless, thank you for earlier.” He hesitated briefly before adding, “Do you have a way to get home? I can drive you if it’s inconvenient.” The warmth Karina felt moments ago instantly turned cold. She forced a bitter smile. “No need. I’ll get home on my own.” She laughed at herself inwardly, a s