Realizing they could not prank Orion, everyone decided to return to playing the game as usual. After dinner, Orion started fussing about wanting to go home, and Nina couldn't say no. She asked the director for leave.At first, the director wasn’t happy about it since there were plans for early morning filming the next day. But Nina was firm, and eventually, he agreed, on the condition that she return promptly in the morning.After a heavy rain, the rural road was muddy. However, Nina, being an experienced driver, handled it with ease. The bumpy ride eventually brought them to the main road. Nina sent a message to Nash, suggesting they meet at the downtown shopping district.There weren’t many cars on the road, and Nina drove steadily. Suddenly, from the opposite lane, a large truck veered toward them, smashing through the median barrier. The truck swerved and headed straight for their car."Mom! Watch out!" Orion shouted.Nina had already reacted instinctively. She floored the g
Nina called Nash, her voice urgent. She did not want to wait for a passing car. Who knew when those two would wake up?If they did, and she was still there, she would have to fight again. She wasn’t afraid of fighting, knowing full well that ordinary people couldn’t match her. However, she was worried they might bring reinforcements.Nash picked up while driving."We ran into some trouble. Can you come get us?" Nina said immediately."I’m on my way. Stay safe," Nash replied, not hanging up as he sped towards them.As the rain began to fall, Nina felt her body growing heavier. She knew it was a fever from her injury, and regretted not bringing her bag. There was medicine in it. They had been walking for nearly half an hour without seeing a single car pass. Luckily, those two men had not followed them. Maybe they were still unconscious, or maybe they thought Nina and Orion had already left.Just as Nina was about to collapse, a car pulled over."Nina, Orion!" Miss Flores excla
"He went to school," Nash replied, handing her a glass of water. "I think it's better for him to stay focused on his education, even though... well, it's just kindergarten for now."In kindergarten, they had not taught reading yet, but they had group activities that helped build a good social environment.As for the entertainment industry, Nash still had his concerns. He couldn’t help but think of Miranda. Things started off well for her, but after entering showbiz, she began to change, little by little.Orion was still so young.And with the wealth Nash had, if Orion developed an interest in the entertainment industry later on, he could easily build an entire entertainment empire on the foundation Nash had already established."Yeah. I've been with Orion constantly these past few days, so now that he's not around, I feel a little lost," Nina admitted, a hint of sadness in her voice.Nash gently stroked her cheek. "I get it. How about we pick him up together this afternoon?""Ok
Nina shot him a playful glare."Mommy~," Orion whined, shaking her arm and turning on his charm.Nash quickly followed suit, mimicking Orion's tone. "Honey~."Nina couldn't take it anymore. "Alright, both of you, stop it! Can we just go home now?" she said, flustered.They were still standing at the kindergarten entrance, and talking about making babies was hardly appropriate. Although she and Nash were now like an old married couple, they couldn’t be so shameless in public. If anyone saw them, especially a reporter, it could easily turn into unwanted gossip.Nash grinned and pulled her close. "Alright, let’s go home and work on that baby!" He led her to the car, his arm around her shoulders, while his other hand held Orion’s. But Orion slipped out of his grip and ran over to Nina’s side instead.Although Nina didn’t say anything, her gaze fell on Nash with a deep, lingering look of a silent reproach.As soon as they got home, Nash’s father, Pharaoh, greeted them at the door.
Lydia spoke with calm determination, her gaze steady and firm.Quincy was a bit surprised. Lydia wasn’t just capable but perceptive too. She had already figured out what he was thinking. Still, while her abilities seemed promising, he couldn’t be certain what her real intentions were. After all, she was hired to be Nash’s new secretary. That meant she would eventually need to work alongside him closely. They couldn’t afford to make any mistakes."Your background doesn’t matter to me," Quincy said slowly, a small smile playing on his lips. "At York Corporation, we value skill above all. If you really have the ability, then handling a simple contract like this should be a breeze, right?"He paused briefly, then added, "Besides, you won’t be going in alone. I’ll be there with you."With Quincy present, even if Lydia struggled, he could step in and take over. Lydia didn’t argue and replied, "Since you’ve arranged everything, I’ll follow your lead."Hunter, Caleb, and Ben were all
Nina had not expected Nash to still have so much stamina at his age.Taking advantage of a brief moment, she quickly pushed him away. "Aren't you worried about missing something important with all those calls you’re ignoring? What if it’s urgent?"Nash smirked and leaned in closer, silencing her with a kiss. "If it’s important, Quincy can handle it. Right now, nothing is more urgent than us."Over on Hunter's side of things, after Nash ignored two of his calls, then turned off his phone entirely. Hunter quickly figured out what was going on. Nash must be preoccupied with someone special, and there was no chance he would be picking up. A real shame, Hunter thought.Quincy, not wanting Hunter to start playing matchmaker, said, "She’s new here, and sure, she’s capable. But I still need to figure out what she’s really here for. Can you just hold off on the matchmaking? Not everyone is like you.""What’s wrong with me?" Hunter replied, unfazed.Caleb chuckled. "Do you really need it s
Lydia lifted her head and said calmly, "If you think that’s the case, then show me the evidence. If you don’t have any, don’t go around making baseless accusations."Quincy didn’t respond. He thought to himself, "Evidence? It’s just a matter of time."Meanwhile, over on Orion's side, the carnival was bustling with people. Orion’s eyes were glued to a stall selling candy floss. "I want the biggest one!" he exclaimed. His face flushed with excitement from all the playing.Pharaoh handed over the money and gently advised Orion to eat slowly as he passed him the candy floss. As Orion took the treat, Pharaoh watched him with a fond smile.Orion took a bite and said, "Grandpa, this is so sweet! You should try some.""Grandpa doesn’t need, you go ahead and eat. If you like it, have more," Pharaoh chuckled. Orion nodded and ate.Just as he was about to take a third bite, his body suddenly stiffened. "Grandpa, I don’t feel well…" Before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed."Orio
After sending the message, the caller stopped laughing and spoke in a cold tone, "Mr. York, have you already forgotten me after I just returned your child? Let’s get to the point. I’ve injected something into your son’s body. If you want to know what it is, bring him to this address." Miss Flores then recited an address, which turned out to be in a residential area. Her carefully crafted plan was about to unfold. After all, she wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of taking Orion only to return him without a reason.Nash memorized the address and warned her, "Don’t try any tricks. You should know who I am. I can crush someone like you with just a flick of my finger.""Mr. York, there’s no need to be so angry. If I dared to return your son, then I’ve already considered what you might do to me. I’m not afraid. At worst, it’s a life for a life."A life for a life? Her life couldn’t compare to his son’s.Nash had been quietly monitoring this situation without alarming Nina to avoid
After Yvette finished her rant, she finally got to the point.Karina learned that Dr. Lincoln had transferred out, leaving a vacant spot for a new director at the hospital.“So someone new is being transferred in,” she mused, absentmindedly nibbling on her pen. “I wonder who it could be.”But even Yvette, the self-proclaimed hospital gossip queen who usually knew everything, was stumped this time.“For once, I’ve got nothing,” she admitted, crossing her arms. “But I’ll bet you anything—they must have serious connections. Someone like that doesn’t just fly under the radar.”Karina just shook her head. Gossip wasn’t really her thing. She usually listened and moved on without a second thought. This time was no different. To her, it didn’t really matter who the new director was. After all, what were the odds it would be someone she knew?She would soon find out just how wrong she was.Not only did she know the new director, but she knew him very well. On his first day, Karina
Hearing Wilfred’s suggestion, Karina was stunned for a moment. After some careful thought, she shook her head. “No, I’d rather not.”Now it was Wilfred’s turn to be caught off guard.“Switching back and forth isn’t a solution. Looking back, I shouldn’t have left in the first place. Were those people really capable of doing anything to me? Probably not. I just wanted to avoid trouble,” Karina said slowly.A person’s family would have a way of shaping their personality, and Karina’s upbringing with the Stone family had left her overly cautious—afraid of causing trouble or confronting conflict. But now, after everything she’d been through, she wasn’t scared anymore. Trouble was just trouble. She could handle it. “I’ll face whatever comes my way,” she added. “If it’s a challenge, I’ll rise to it.” When she shared her thoughts, there was silence on the other end of the line. Worried she might have disappointed him, Karina hesitated. “Did I let you down?” “No.” Wilfred’s quiet
Karina heard Harley’s parting word, but she didn’t stop walking. She already had someone like Wilfred who dared to stand up against authority. She wasn’t alone in her fight. When she returned, Yvette bombarded her with questions about her visit to the association. Karina chose to gloss over certain details, recounting only the less controversial parts. Even that left Yvette in awe. "You actually turned them down? You really did? Gosh, I admire you!" Yvette exclaimed.Karina swatted Yvette’s exaggerated thumbs-up. "Cut it out. I’m barely holding it together. I was so nervous."Yvette’s face twisted in mock disappointment. "You? Nervous? Where’s all that boss energy you walked in here with?""Boss energy? More like trembling cowardice," Karina retorted with a wry smile. "I was barely holding my knees steady in there."“No wonder people used to bow down to authority back in the day,” she thought. Standing her ground in front of someone like Professor Zeller had been nearly impos
Karina wasn’t naive enough to take Professor Zeller’s words as a compliment. Given his position and history with Wilfred, it was far more likely he was testing her or subtly undermining her. Still, Karina knew how to hold her ground. “So, Professor Zeller,” she began calmly, though her nails were already digging into her palms, leaving crescent-shaped imprints. “Why exactly did you call me here? I have responsibilities back at the hospital, and I’d prefer not to waste time.” Professor Zeller raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into an amused smirk. “You’re quite fond of your current job, aren’t you?” “Yes, I am.” Karina’s voice was steady, though her body was tense. She couldn’t afford to offend him—not someone with his influence. Zeller studied her in silence for a moment, then tilted his head with a thoughtful frown. “There’s something familiar about you... but I can’t quite place it.” Karina blinked, caught off guard, but before she could ask, he shook his head. “N
If Harley had never seen Karina’s genuine smile, perhaps he wouldn’t have noticed. But he had seen how she smiled at Wilfred, so radiant and pure it could light up a room. In contrast, her cold indifference toward him was painfully stark.Sliding the key into the ignition, Harley glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Can’t you at least crack a smile? All this frowning—it’s hard to look at.”Karina didn’t even bother turning her head. “I’m a doctor, not here to provide entertainment. If you’re that desperate for a smile, hit up a bar tonight. You can pay someone to grin at you all you want.”Harley froze, his expression darkening ever so slightly. For a moment, he was genuinely at a loss for words. Apart from Wilfred, no one else had ever managed to leave him speechless quite like this.Karina remained oblivious or perhaps indifferent to the fact that she had joined Wilfred in Harley’s mental list of thoroughly disliked people. And even if she knew, it wouldn’t have fazed her
Although Karina had no idea what they intended, with Harley already waiting outside her office, she figured she had no choice but to meet him. Taking a few deep breaths to steady herself, she entered her office. Harley stood by the window, examining her pot of red dianthus on the windowsill. Karina frowned. “Dr. Carter, that plant is mine. Please be careful not to knock it over.”As soon as the words left her mouth— Crash!The flower pot toppled off the windowsill, shattering into pieces on the floor. Karina jumped in shock, quickly followed by relief. At least it had shattered indoors and not fallen outside. Someone could have been seriously hurt if it had. But that didn’t stop her from getting angry. “Dr. Carter, what’s the meaning of this?” she snapped, her frustration evident. She had barely finished warning him, and the pot had already fallen. Was that really just an accident?Harley pocketed his hands and apologized with an infuriating nonchalance. “My apo
Wilfred ended up eating two full bowls without realizing it. Only when he couldn’t take another bite did he put his spoon down and wipe his mouth. “The porridge is well made,” he remarked. The housekeeper chuckled. “It’s all thanks to Miss Karina’s idea. And to think I’m a certified nutritionist, but I didn’t come up with something like this. It’s a good thing she was here today!” Karina smiled sheepishly. “It’s just something I learned growing up in a regular household. We didn’t have much, and when I didn’t have an appetite as a kid, I’d make this porridge for myself. I’d always end up eating a lot. So, I figured it might work this time too. I’m glad it turned out well.” The housekeeper insisted she was being modest, showering Karina with praise. Wilfred, watching the simple yet thoughtful meal on the table, felt a rare warmth in his chest. It might not compare to a five-star meal, but knowing that every bite was made with care, specifically for him, made it more satis
Karina wasn’t eager to turn to the association for help. After all, the people there weren’t just disliked by Wilfred—she couldn’t stand them either. Hesitating, she muttered, “When the time comes, something will work out… right?” Wilfred glanced at her indecisive expression and sighed lightly. He could already tell she hadn’t given the matter much thought. “I figured it’d be like this. I’ve already thought it through for you. If you need a recommendation letter, I’ll write one for you.” “Really?” Karina’s eyes lit up, and she couldn’t suppress the excitement in her voice. She had considered asking Wilfred for help. His reputation and capabilities were unmatched—even those in the association couldn’t hold a candle to him. But Karina had hesitated, feeling like she had already leaned on him for too much. He had helped her in countless ways. Asking for a recommendation letter felt like pushing the boundaries of her gratitude. Her joy didn’t last long before she falte
Wilfred coughed lightly and replied, “There’s nothing else to do while staying in the room.” His explanation only made things worse. Karina’s brows shot up immediately. “What do you mean by nothing else to do?” Her expression turned serious, and her tone carried an unusual firmness. “It doesn’t matter. When you’re sick, you need to rest properly. Your book is confiscated. Go lie down.” It was the first time someone had ordered Wilfred around like this, and he found it oddly amusing. Of course, if it had been anyone else, he wouldn’t have listened. Only Karina could manage to sway him. Even so, Wilfred didn’t head to bed but remained seated in his chair. “You mentioned earlier that you came because of something. What is it?” Karina hesitated briefly. “Well, the association sent me an email. I just saw it. They’re inviting me to visit when I have time.” As soon as she finished, she watched Wilfred’s reaction nervously. Knowing his antagonism toward the association