Lydia instinctively grabbed onto Quincy, her fear taking hold. Realizing the situation, she slowly let go and looked around frantically. She picked up a nearby stick, trying to steady herself. "Come on, I’m not afraid of you," she said, her voice trembling slightly.Quincy quickly placed his hand over hers. "Don’t provoke it," he warned.The snake's cold eyes glinted as it hissed and suddenly lunged forward. "Ah!" Lydia screamed, swinging the stick wildly with her eyes squeezed shut. The snake coiled around the stick and struck, sinking its fangs into her leg before slithering away.Lydia gasped and collapsed to the ground, staring in shock at the two puncture marks on her leg. The courage she had forced herself to muster vanished instantly. Panic overtook her, and she began to cry, "Quincy, Quincy, am I going to die?"Quincy grabbed her hand, trying to calm her. "Don’t worry, you’ll be okay. Just stay calm."Without hesitation, he lowered his mouth to the bite on her leg, tryin
This was the first time Quincy had spoken so much at once. He was usually the type to keep his words to a minimum. "Stop crying. We're still here, safe and sound. Isn't that proof enough that we've been really lucky?"He tried to smile, hoping to lift Lydia's spirits. Lydia wiped her eyes with her sleeve and nodded, "You're right."The night air was bitterly cold, and a chill swept through the cave, causing Lydia to shiver involuntarily.Quincy noticed her discomfort and hesitated for a moment before clearing his throat. He then suggested a bit awkwardly, "If we stay closer, it might help us stay warm."His suggestion was subtle, but Lydia immediately understood. Her face flushed, but her body acted on instinct, moving closer to him without hesitation. Quincy, after all, was a strong man, and his body radiated warmth like a small furnace. Lydia instantly felt a wave of comfort and safety wash over her.Without thinking, she gently wrapped her arms around his waist. Quincy tens
After walking for a while, Lydia stumbled upon a small pond. Her heart leaped with relief as she found a tree for Quincy to lean against. She tore a strip of fabric from her skirt and soaked it in the cool water. She then began to gently wipe Quincy's feverish body. As she worked, she murmured to herself, "Quincy, you have to get better. When we get back, I'll agree to whatever you ask."She assumed Quincy was too delirious to hear her. However, he reached out suddenly and grabbed her hand tightly. He asked with his intense gaze. "Do you really mean that?"Lydia was startled. If it weren't for Quincy’s body still burning with fever, she might have thought he was faking it. Blushing, she said, "I didn’t say anything. Let go of me, now."Quincy chuckled weakly. "No way, I heard every word."Lydia looked down, embarrassed, and gave him a light shove. "I think you're just pretending to be sick."Hearing this, Quincy immediately looked hurt. He took Lydia’s hand and placed it on hi
The possibility that the man might have ulterior motives crossed Lydia’s mind, and she became instantly alert. Given their current situation, she knew she was likely no match for him, especially with Quincy still sick and unable to help.Sensing her unease, the man chuckled and said, "Don’t worry, I’m not interested in you. I don’t like skinny women. I prefer women with a bit more curves."Embarrassed that her thoughts had been so transparent, Lydia felt awkward, as if she had been both paranoid and overly self-assured.The man continued, "Just take care of him tonight. His fever should break by morning. I'll help you get out of here then. No need to thank me. Just bring me a couple of bottles of good liquor when you get the chance."Relieved, Lydia smiled, showing her white teeth. "Deal. My family has some great liquor stashed away. You’ll love it."The mention of alcohol seemed to loosen the man's tongue. He grinned and said, "You must come from money if your family has such t
"Thank you."Suddenly, Quincy’s soft, sincere voice echoed in Lydia’s ears as he looked at her with those deep, dark eyes. Lydia could sense his seriousness in that moment."No need to be so formal. You’ve helped me too. Let’s focus on recovering and then get out of here. Maybe we can ask the man if he has a phone?"Lydia felt they had spent enough time in the mountains, and she knew the factory workers likely wouldn’t give up looking for them."Alright, I’ll talk to him."Quincy had already asked the man about borrowing a phone, but the man had declined, saying, "I’ve been out here in the mountains hunting for years. What would I need a phone for?"His small home was simple but well-equipped. Quincy found it hard to believe that the man didn’t have a phone, but there were no signs of any communication devices around.Quincy suggested, "In that case, could you take us to the nearest market? We can pay to use a phone to call for help. We’ll make sure to reward you generously once
"At least you’re self-aware," Lydia replied, her smile growing wider.Quincy noticed this and couldn’t help but admire her composure. Even in such a dire situation, Lydia could still find it in herself to smile. Her mental strength was something else.Quincy frowned slightly and asked, "You’re aware of what’s going on, but you don’t seem scared at all. Why…?""Do you think we should be wearing gloomy faces instead?" Lydia cut him off with a soft laugh. "Honestly, if we’re meant to die here, that’s just fate. If it’s destiny that we die together, what choice do we have?"She didn’t seem like she was just trying to laugh in the face of adversity. There was a genuine acceptance in her tone.Quincy felt a pang of guilt. "I brought you on this trip, and now look what’s happened."Before, Quincy might have been wary of Lydia, but after all they had been through together, he knew what kind of person she was. If she were the type to abandon someone in trouble, she would have left him beh
"One million," Nash named his price.The man had not expected such a high figure, but since Nash mentioned it, he was more than willing to agree. "Alright, but you'll only take them once I get the money."Without hesitation, Nash replied, "Give me your account number."Though the man spent most of his life hunting in the mountains, he still had a bank account. As soon as he gave Nash the number, the money was transferred into his account. One million was in his account in less than two minutes.He had never seen that much money in his life.While he was still lost in the excitement, Nash had already left with the people, heading to find Quincy and Lydia.Since the payment was made, Nash naturally took them with him.He had them both sent to the hospital, where Caleb personally checked their injuries. Both were hurt, and traces of snake venom still lingered.Thankfully, Caleb administered the antivenom and kept them under observation in the hospital.Nash instructed Quincy, "Yo
Caleb was doing it on purpose.As soon as he started grumbling, people passing by began glancing in their direction. Back when Nina was not in Nash’s life and Miranda was nowhere near him either, rumors about Nash and Caleb’s relationship had already spread wildly. And now Caleb was stirring things up again!Nash was at a loss for words, his expression quickly hardening as his gaze sharpened. "If you really have a death wish, I don’t mind helping you out."Nash despised being the subject of rumors, especially now that he was happily settled with his family. The thought of false stories circulating about him now was intolerable.Seeing the deadly look in Nash’s eyes, Caleb immediately realized he had pushed too far and dared not say anything more. He could only watch helplessly as Nash walked farther and farther away.When Nash got back to their home at Riverside Estate, even Nina noticed the tension on his face.Alarmed, she asked, "What’s wrong? You didn’t find them?"It had
“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