Nash didn’t wait for the nurse to speak. He immediately called the hospital director and made his stance clear that Lisa had to be fired. Lisa panicked, clutching Nash’s legs and begging, "Mr. York, I realize my mistake. Please, give me another chance. My parents went through so much to get me this job. I can't let them down.""If you were truly concerned about your parents’ efforts, you wouldn’t have slandered me," Nina stated firmly. "Director, if she's not fired, I’ll escalate this matter, and if the hospital gets dragged into it, don’t say I didn’t warn you."Understanding Nash’s influence, the director immediately had Lisa removed from the hospital. Her cries and protests echoed through the entire floor as she was dragged out. The director apologized profusely to the couple and reassigned the head nurse to take over Lisa's duties.Nash was satisfied and, on his way out, mentioned that he would fund the renovation of the inpatient department. The director was overjoyed and tha
"Not a chance," Lisa snapped, her agitation causing the pliers to nick Nina's neck. Blood trickled down, and the onlookers gasped in horror."Well, then I can’t agree to your demands. Do whatever you want," Nash said, pulling out his phone, pretending to call the police, though his eyes never left Lisa. He was ready to act the moment she made a move.Lisa hesitated, realizing too late that she should have acted when she first entered the room. The arrival of the hospital director only added to her unease."Lisa, what are you doing? Let her go!" the director pleaded, trying to approach her. But Lisa pulled Nina closer and backed toward the window.Nina, sensing the danger, spoke softly, "You can still stop this. Once the police get here, it will be too late to turn back.""Think about your parents," the director added, hoping to appeal to her sense of reason.Nash quietly inched closer, but Lisa noticed and panicked. "If you come any closer, I’ll do it!" she screamed, tightening h
Nina did not want to argue, so she remained silent. Pharaoh was about to continue persuading her when Nash returned from his phone call, noticing the tension between them.He glanced at Nina, then at Pharaoh. "Father, what were you two talking about? Did something happen?"Pharaoh explained his concerns. "I suggested that she come back with me. That way, you can focus on your work without worrying."Nash smiled slightly, understanding his father-in-law's good intentions. "Is that all? There's no need to go to such lengths. I’ve already handed over the company matters to Quincy."Nina, feeling a bit guilty, asked, "Won’t that be too much for him? He hasn’t taken a day off in years."Nash chuckled, "He’s going on a business trip anyway. He’ll be with his new assistant, so the workload won’t be too heavy. It’ll give him a chance to relax."Nash wasn’t lying about the workload, but it was still no easy task. At that moment, Quincy was sitting at the airport with furrowed brows. His
Nash placed the warm milk in front of Nina, watching as she drank it."Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it," Quincy assured. "But we can’t just let them off without some kind of consequence."Nash frowned slightly, thinking for a moment. "You're right. They need to be disciplined, enough to earn the respect of the employees. I trust you'll handle it well. I’m busy on my end, so let’s leave it at that."After hanging up, Nash grabbed a napkin and gently wiped Nina’s mouth, sneaking in a quick kiss.Nina playfully rolled her eyes at him, but it was all in good humor. This had become their normal routine, and even Orion was shaking his head with a grin."What’s wrong? Am I not allowed to be nice to my wife?" Nash teased, lightly tapping Orion on the head.Orion laughed. "You are! I’m going to treat my wife just as well when I’m older!"Hearing their young son talk about marriage and taking care of his future wife made them both chuckle.As night fell, the city drifted into a sweet s
Quincy patted the young man who had cut in line on the shoulder and said, "Hey, please wait your turn."His tone was polite but firm. The young man, wearing a pair of flip-flops, turned around with a look of annoyance and snapped, "Mind your own business, man."Lydia tugged on Quincy's sleeve, shaking her head. "Let it go. It's not worth getting into a fight over."Quincy gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I've got this."He then stepped in front of the young man, which made Lydia nervous. She gripped her phone tightly, ready to call the police if things got out of hand. The guy looked like trouble, and she wasn't sure Quincy could handle him.The young man, now in Quincy's shadow, looked up with irritation. "What now...?"Before he could finish, Quincy cut him off with a voice that was still polite but carried an icy edge. "I suggest you watch your tone."As he spoke, Quincy casually stretched his neck and wrists, revealing the well-defined muscles in his arms. The sigh
The men sized up Lydia, and upon noticing her beauty, their faces immediately lit up with suggestive smiles."So, this is Miss Fay.""Miss Fay, you're quite young to have secured such a close position with Mr. York. You must be something special."Lydia’s expression remained unchanged. She had heard these kinds of remarks and seen these looks more times than she could count. If she let every one of them get to her, she would have been driven crazy long ago.Quincy’s eyes turned cold as he spoke up. "Lydia earned her role as Mr. York’s secretary through sheer ability. In fact, she’s even more capable than I am, and Mr. York holds her in high regard."Lydia was taken aback, glancing over at Quincy. She hadn’t expected him to stand up for her, let alone praise her at his own expense.The men quickly caught on, with one of the executives still grinning. "You’re right, Mr. Quincy. It seems you’re quite fond of Miss Fay."Lydia’s eyes grew cold. She had no intention of arguing with th
Quincy lifted his head and said, "Since it seems there's no sincere intent to cooperate, let's call it off and head back."The factory manager's expression tightened instantly. He quickly tried to persuade them, "Wait a moment, everything's negotiable. If the offer seems too low, why not stay the night and rest? You must be tired from the journey."Quincy was about to decline when Lydia cleared her throat. He glanced at her and then changed his mind, saying, "Alright, we'll stay the night."As night fell, Quincy turned to Lydia. "Why did you choose to stay?"He doubted it was because she was genuinely tired. Lydia's eyes sparkled with mischief as she replied, "No business is ever entirely clean. I noticed something illegal in this factory earlier, and I need tonight to confirm it. If I’m right, we can report them and shut this place down."She was visibly excited at the prospect. Quincy asked, "Are you sure?""If I’m right, with the right connections, we can shut them down
Sweat started to bead on Quincy’s forehead, and he silently cursed himself for his foolishness. They continued running, but Lydia was quickly running out of steam. Despite pushing herself, her heavy breathing made it clear she couldn't keep up much longer."Quincy, go on without me. Don’t worry about me," she panted."No way. Get on my back," Quincy insisted.Lydia froze for a moment, shaking her head. "N-no, I’m too heavy.""Come on, if we waste any more time, they’ll catch us," he urged.Realizing the urgency, Lydia didn’t argue further. She wrapped her arms around Quincy’s neck. "Am I too heavy?" she asked, feeling guilty for slowing them down and wishing she had trained more.Quincy shifted her on his back with ease. "You’re light as a feather. No problem at all," he said, trying to comfort her.Lydia couldn’t help but laugh at the exaggeration.Quincy glanced at her with a playful smirk. "You know, if we die together like this, does it count as a tragic romance?"The qu
“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
After hearing Wilfred’s response, the director could barely contain his excitement. He immediately signed the contract.As he finished, the director couldn’t help but remark, “Dr. Wilfred, I had a feeling you’d be a great ally for our hospital. And now I see I was absolutely right!”Wilfred replied in his usual composed tone, “Well, considering you’ve helped me solve a big problem, it’s only fair I return the favor.”The director froze for a moment. When had he ever helped Wilfred? He had no idea what Wilfred was referring to.Instinctively, he glanced at Karina, catching the fleeting surprise and uncertainty in her expression. Realization dawned, and he let out a hearty laugh. “Dr. Wilfred, you’re too kind! Honestly, Dr. Norman is so talented. She’s hardly a burden. If anything, we’re the ones benefiting.”The rest of the conversation blurred in Karina’s mind. Her thoughts were stuck on Wilfred’s earlier comment, delivered so casually yet carrying so much weight. Was it really
Karina froze for a moment, watching as Wilfred walked through the crowd toward her. He wasn’t wearing his white coat but casual clothes—a khaki turtleneck sweater that softened the sharp angles of his features, paired with tailored pants. The outfit gave off a relaxed, homely vibe, yet the air of aloofness surrounding him remained untouched. If anything, that distance only added to his allure, intensifying the crowd’s fascination and desire to get closer. Wilfred extended a hand to the hospital director. “Dr. Lincoln, thank you for personally greeting me.” “No need for thanks, Dr. Wilfred,” the director said with a chuckle. “It’s a privilege to have someone of your stature visit our hospital. As the director, it’s my duty to show the proper respect.” Their handshake was brief, followed by the usual pleasantries. Karina kept her gaze down, avoiding any indication of familiarity with Wilfred. She guessed he would prefer it that way, and her suspicion was confirmed when