Dominic could not believe that after everything, they were turning the blame on him."You say you weren’t wrong about us? But your heart was never with us. If you had ever given us a second glance or trusted us even a little, we wouldn’t be in this situation now!""You’ve always been stubborn. Nash isn’t interested in being president, so you decided we weren’t good enough and started looking for someone else, didn’t you? You wanted to groom a puppet who would follow your orders."Listening to his sons’ accusations, Dominic's expression darkened. He kicked both of them to the ground, his anger boiling over."Is your brain made of mush? If I wasn’t looking out for you, with the way you’ve been acting, you would have been finished long ago. Do you even realize that?"Dominic’s rage grew as he spoke, but no one could interfere in how he disciplined his own children.Nina gave Nash a look, and he took her hand, quietly leaving the room.Once they were outside, Nina turned to him, "Th
Freya was stunned. "Even if it was me who caused this, you wouldn’t blame me?"Was Micah suddenly softening, or had she finally touched his heart, enough for him to allow her a permanent place in his life?"Yes," he answered without hesitation.Freya still could not believe it. "You... why? Does this mean you’re willing to marry me?"Micah clasped her hand. "You’ve been by my side all this time. I’ve seen how you’ve treated me. You’d make a good wife. Now that everyone knows about us, it wouldn’t be fair to you if I didn’t marry you."He thought about how Freya always tried to handle everything on her own, and for a woman to shoulder so much was too cruel.Tears welled up in Freya’s eyes. "I never imagined you’d agree to marry me. But if you still don’t want to, you don’t need to feel any obligation toward me."I’m doing this because I want to." Her voice grew hoarse with emotion. Even if she ended up heartbroken, it was a choice she willingly made."Don’t say that. I understan
"What Freya said made sense, but after working so hard for so long to win over Micah, shouldn’t she protect what she fought so hard for?" the woman wondered.Seeing Freya’s seemingly nonchalant attitude, the woman could not believe her. "And if I do win him over, you’re saying you won’t lose your mind over it?"Freya’s smile did not waver. "Why would I? If you can make Micah fall in love with you, then that’s your skill. I should congratulate you both."Her persistence with Micah came largely because there had been no other women around him. If someone else had come along, Freya would have simply wished them well, just as she was doing now.The woman’s expression turned cold. "Don’t try to confuse me with your words. You think I can’t compete with you, don’t you? Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you see what I’m capable of!"Freya understood. "So this is your declaration of war."She was not afraid.The woman hurried over to Micah without hesitation. He gave her a quick glance before
Hearing Micah’s words, Arin had a few things she wanted to say.However, before she could, Micah continued, "I’ve already made a promise to Freya. A man of his word must see it through. Besides, I don’t dislike her."Arin’s breath caught in her throat.Micah had kept women at a distance because of his sense of duty. But Freya was different. He did not mind having her close, and she had always been by his side. The sayings, "familiarity breeds closeness" and "time reveals true character," couldn’t have been truer.Arin's heart ached intensely. She was just a commoner, and her status was worlds apart from Freya's. Micah needed a partner who could stand by his side as his equal, someone strong and capable, not someone like her, a nobody from the slums. No matter how hard she had worked all these years, the vast difference in their social standing had never changed."Teacher Micah, if she’s the one you care about, then I wish you happiness. I hope you’ll always be happy," Arin fin
Micah's status was noble, yet he was willing to humble himself for the future of the Yaren tribe. He taught the villagers how to identify herbs, plant crops, and even educated the children. During that time, he would bring gifts for the children, and sometimes, he would also bring a little something for Arin. But that was just how Micah was. If he disliked someone, no matter what they did, they could never win his heart. If she went along with this plan, she would only ruin the image she had built in Micah's mind.That would mean Micah would despise her forever, making it impossible for her to spend her life with him.Still, Arin knew she had to play along for now.Arin smiled and asked, "Out of all the women who like Micah, why did you choose me? I'm just a nobody with no background.""Precisely because you're a nobody," the man replied. "No one would suspect you. Don't you want to keep Micah by your side forever? He's exceptional, and your child with him would have the best g
Micah understood the situation clearly and called Joker over. "Take Arin to the lab for an examination."These people would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. Arin was brave and she had risked everything to deliver vital information.Arin took a shaky breath. "Teacher Micah, you don’t need to worry about me. I don’t need treatment right now.""Even if they find out, your safety is the top priority right now," Micah said sternly.Arin felt a warmth spread through her. Although Teacher Micah’s concern was likely just out of basic decency, she could not help but take comfort in it. After all, wasn't this a sign that he cared for her, even in some small way?Joker escorted Arin to the lab. After running tests, the scientists all shook their heads."This is a powerful poison. It’s an enhanced version of what Seth once developed. Now... there’s no cure."Micah’s expression darkened. "I thought Seth’s poisons were all eradicated?"As Seth was turned into a human swine and Phara
Arin had taken Micah away from her using the same tactics she herself had used. If Arin had better methods, Freya would have accepted it, but this hurt deeply.Freya watched from a distance as Micah tenderly cared for Arin, patiently feeding her medicine and staying by her side until she fell asleep. It wasn’t until then that Micah finally left, only to lock eyes with Freya the moment he turned around.Micah pressed his lips together and said quietly, "Why are you here?"Freya glanced past him at Arin, lying on the bed. "It's not exactly a secret anymore."Rumors had spread across the Yaren Tribe about how Arin had risked her life to deliver crucial information to Micah. Some said Micah was so grateful he planned to cancel their wedding and marry Arin instead. Freya had come because those rumors made her feel like her world was crumbling.Micah could read all of this in her eyes. "She brought me the message, and I don't want her to die," he explained.That was Micah’s stance. Bey
As soon as Micah said those words, he gave Freya a deep, intense look, and she immediately understood.Freya smiled knowingly. "It's alright. As long as I can support you, the wedding is just a formality."Micah gently patted her head, then leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Freya's heart, usually so calm, rippled with emotion like a still lake touched by the wind.Once they agreed, the wedding was set for a week later. The announcement spread throughout the Yaren Tribe, followed by notifications to family and friends.Pharaoh hadn’t expected Micah to move so quickly this time and couldn’t help but tease him a bit. "When I brought it up with Nina and you before, you were so adamant that you didn’t want this. Now, look who’s changed their tune."Micah chuckled. It was true that he had contradicted himself. It just went to show that nothing was set in stone, and one should never speak in absolutes.Pharaoh added, "If you had your mind set on marriage, you should’ve
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