"Orion," the woman called out, waving without a hint of concern about being seen. She did not look like a kidnapper. Since the parents had not arrived yet, Orion could not leave the school grounds. The woman handed him a small packet of snacks through the fence. Seeing this, Nina quickly walked over and stopped him. "Orion, what did Mom always teach you? Did you forget?""I didn’t forget, Mom. She’s Aunt Lulu. Some kids said she used to teach dance here," Orion answered honestly, implying that he thought she was not a stranger since she had worked at the school before.However, Orion had only started attending this term, so he did not know her at all.Nina wanted to remind her son about talking to strangers, but the woman extended her hand and introduced herself. "Hello Orion's mom, I'm Lulu Jacobs. I used to teach dance here, but now I work at an entertainment agency. Here’s my business card."The card clearly showed she was an agent, Lulu Jacobs at YJ Entertainment. Nina re
The woman picked up the contract, glanced at it, and burst into laughter. She sneered at Lulu, "Seriously? You're signing this? What if they quit after a month? You'll lose both time and money. Lulu, I know you're desperate for cash, but are you really that hard up? Taking on any gig that comes your way? Don't come crying when you're even more in debt.""This is my business, not yours," Lulu retorted, snatching the contract from her and walking into the break room. She smiled as she placed the contract in front of Nina."Sorry about that, hope you didn’t mind the scene.""No worries. I thought the entertainment industry would be different, but I see there's drama everywhere," Nina replied, signing the contract. She added cautiously, "You know Orion’s just a kid. He might find this fun now, but don’t pin too many hopes on him.""I've thought about that," Lulu admitted before asking, "By the way, how should I address you?"The contract only required one parent’s signature, and N
"I’ve seen plenty of people like you. But you know, child stars only have a short window of fame. If you don’t cash in now, when will you?" Miss Flores did not bother to hide the disdain in her eyes. Nina, however, didn’t even look at her and instead started chatting with Lulu about where they should go for lunch after the shoot. This completely infuriated Miss Flores.Just as she was about to lash out, the director on her set shouted, seemingly frustrated with an actor’s poor performance. Miss Flores quickly rushed over to handle the situation.Lulu seized the moment to warn Nina, "Try not to confront her directly. It won’t do us any good. Please, Nina, be more careful next time.""Am I making things difficult for you? I didn’t think it through. I’ll pay more attention to that in the future," Nina replied, glancing at Miss Flores, who was now fawning over the director. The contrast between her behavior towards them and her attitude with the director amused Nina. This was real
"Yes, yes, and remember to smile," Pharaoh reminded him gently."Yes, Grandpa!" Orion cheerfully responded before diving into Pharaoh’s arms, laughing.The moon hung high in the sky, and the rooftop echoed with their joyful laughter. Nina and Nash exchanged smiles from below."About that agent you mentioned, the one giving Lulu a hard time... Do you want me to step in?" Nash asked as he closed his laptop. "How about this? Tomorrow is the first day of the variety show shoot. I could arrange a dinner for the whole crew in Orion’s name. We could do it at the downtown hotel."Nina shook her head, not wanting to reveal Nash's identity as Orion’s father just yet. "I can handle this. Plus, we have Lulu. It’s her job to manage these kinds of relationships. If she can't, it would only show that she's not up to the task.""I don’t care about anyone else’s abilities. I just don’t want you and Orion to get hurt," Nash said, holding her hand. "I know you can handle it, but I want to be your sa
Nina did not want to argue, so she nodded in agreement. Just then, the director called for everyone to gather. She took Orion’s hand and started walking toward the meeting point, but Miss Flores stepped in front of them. She pulled Nina aside and took Orion’s hand instead. When Orion tried to pull away, she tightened her grip, causing tears to well up in his eyes.Nina quickly intervened, pushing Miss Flores aside and sternly asking, "Are you trying to hurt him on purpose?"Miss Flores looked hurt and defensive. "Orion’s mom, you’ve misunderstood. I was just trying to bond with him, I didn’t mean to hurt him." She crouched down to Orion’s level and added, "I’m sorry, Orion. Did I hurt you? That was my mistake. I’ll be more careful next time and won’t grip so hard."Nina didn’t give her another chance and scooped up Orion, heading directly toward the director. The film crew was much larger this time, with many more people involved. Miss Flores quietly approached Nina, subtly re
Now Orion understood that Miss Flores had taken him to this unfamiliar place without his mom knowing, and he realized he needed to contact her quickly. He looked around, then darted towards a nearby elevator.Miss Flores, busy explaining things to Nina over the phone, didn’t notice that Orion had entered the elevator. By the time she realized, he was already gone.Orion followed a group of people into one of the buildings in the complex. When they exited through the back door, he followed them outside. The street was busy with people, and Orion didn’t know what to do next.Suddenly, a woman approached him, grabbed him tightly, and exclaimed, "Son, my sweet boy, Mommy finally found you!""Let me go! I’m not your son! I need to find my mom!" Orion cried, tears streaming down his face.Though he hadn’t been scared when Miss Flores took him, being held by this strange woman terrified him. Fear overwhelmed him, and all he could do was scream for help.Orion’s cries attracted the atten
"I think the same," Nina agreed. "I'll let the company know right away."Just as she pulled out her phone, Nash stopped her. She looked at him, puzzled.Nash sat on the edge of the desk, thinking for a moment before saying, "Here's what you should do. Text Miss Flores and arrange a meeting for tomorrow at noon. Let's see how she handles it."Confused but trusting him, Nina sent the message to Miss Flores.They met at a coffee shop, where Miss Flores had already arrived, accompanied by Rosie, the assistant to the agency’s boss. As soon as she saw Nina, Miss Flores stood up and greeted her, "Nina, you're here.""Take a seat. Have you ordered coffee yet?" Nina asked as she called over a waiter and ordered a mocha. "About yesterday, I thought about it all night, and I'm still shaken up. I've decided to pause working with your agency for now."Both Miss Flores and Rosie looked panicked. Miss Flores quickly pulled out a gift she had prepared in advance."Nina, these are the latest D
The director considered that Orion was still a young child, so they kept the game simple. When it began, there was an issue with the number of participants. One of the guests had an early flight the next morning, so they needed someone to fill in on the spot. The director scanned the room and decided to have Nina join the game. This would not only help Orion feel less nervous but also make the segment more engaging for the audience.The order of turns was determined by drawing lots. Orion and Nina were the last group. The previous three groups had performed well, with one group guessing four correct answers out of five, and the other two guessing three.When it was Orion and Nina’s turn, Orion drew while Nina guessed. The clue was the phrase "Piece of Cake." The room filled with whispers as people wondered how Orion would represent the idiom.Orion quickly drew a slice of cake on a plate, adding a fork next to it. Nina squinted at the drawing, thinking hard. "Is it... birthday c
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