"Officer Zimmer, you know what to do. Don’t go easy on a woman this ruthless," Nash growled, his voice low but filled with fury.It was clear this time, someone had touched his bottom line.Nina and the baby were Nash’s ultimate boundaries. Anyone who crossed them would face serious consequences. Nurse Sarah, still attempting to make a last-ditch effort to resist, instantly stopped when Nash shot her a cold, piercing glare.After finishing up at the police station, Nash gently pinched Nina’s nose, teasingly scolding her. "You knew it was dangerous, so why did you follow them?""You found out," Nina pouted, rubbing her head against his arm playfully. Nash rolled his eyes at her, though the affection was clear.Of course he knew! They had been married for years. He could read her every small move and knew exactly what she was planning."I wanted to end the threat once and for all. Don’t worry, I won’t do it again.""It was really risky, though. What if something had happened? Ha
"Mom, Dad says I’m going to have a baby sister," Orion said as he hugged Nina as soon as she stepped out of the prenatal exam room. His excitement was contagious, and Nina couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.A son and now a daughter—what more could she ask for?"Are you happy, Mom?" Orion looked up at her with his hopeful face.Nina nodded, smiling warmly. "I’ve always wanted a daughter, so of course I’m happy.""That’s awesome!" Orion cheered, but then suddenly paused, "I want to get her a present. Mom, can we go shopping later?"Nina had already been thinking about preparing for the baby, so she readily agreed. She was planning to get some essentials like clothes and a hospital bag. She took Orion’s hand and nodded, and his excitement grew even more.To make things easier, Nash asked Caleb to prepare a wheelchair, and the whole family headed to a shopping district.Their first stop was a baby store, filled with all kinds of adorable items, so many that it was hard to choose. Nin
But since both of the girls had already taken sips from that cup, neither of them wanted the other to feel shortchanged. Reluctantly, they tossed that cup and bought two new ones.Nina was momentarily lost in thought. There was a time when she and Yvonne were just like that. They were always worrying about not giving enough to the other, fearing the other would be shortchanged because of them."What’s wrong? Craving some bubble tea?" Nash noticed her sudden drop in mood and bent down to ask.Nina shook her head, forcing a smile. "I want to visit Yvonne in the hospital."Without hesitation, Nash had Pharaoh take Orion home, and he accompanied Nina to Yvonne’s hospital room.As they were about to enter, Joe stepped out, and the three of them froze for a moment."What are you doing here? Haven’t you done enough to hurt Yvonne?" Nina’s tone was sharp, giving Joe no courtesy.Joe glanced briefly at Nash, but instead of arguing, he stepped aside and let them through.Yvonne looked
At the thought of her situation, Yvonne's eyes dimmed.Noticing her change in mood, Nina quickly sat down beside her, holding her hand for comfort. "It’s okay. Whatever happened before is in the past. You can go wherever you want, and I’ll help you."After what had happened to Yvonne, Nina had spent a lot of time reflecting. She realized that Yvonne’s sudden request for money must have meant something was seriously wrong. And as Yvonne’s only friend, Nina knew she was the only one who could help her.Once Nina came to that realization, she made a decision. Whatever Yvonne needed after waking up, she would agree to it, no questions asked. If Yvonne wanted to leave, then she would make it happen.Without wasting any time, Nina spotted a wheelchair and helped Yvonne into it, pushing her out of the hospital room."Where are you two going?" Nash asked, surprised. He noticed that Yvonne had woken up, but it seemed they were leaving in a hurry."Yvonne wants to leave, and I promised her
Joe immediately seized the opportunity, repeatedly promising that he would keep his word."Alright, have your men leave, and I’ll get out of the car to talk."Yvonne was still thinking about Nina’s safety. If the conversation went south, at least Nash could quickly drive away, ensuring Nina’s safety.The cars blocking the road pulled over to the side, and Nash parked his car by the curb as well, allowing traffic to flow normally again.As Yvonne opened the door, Nina grabbed her hand, concern in her eyes. Yvonne turned back to reassure her friend. "It’s alright, Nina. I’m craving some barbeque ribs. Could you ask your helper to prepare it for me?""Of course. I’ll call right now. But if anything feels wrong, get back in the car immediately," Nina urged, her unease growing as she watched Yvonne step out.Before Yvonne could reach him, Joe rushed over and pulled her to the side, wrapping her tightly in his arms."You’re awake. You’re finally awake. I thought… No, you were never go
Outside the hospital’s emergency room, Yvonne's sister-in-law, Winona Johnson, stormed in with her people. The moment she saw Yvonne, she walked over and slapped her hard across the face.Nina immediately pulled Yvonne behind her, glaring at Winona with anger in her eyes."Do you know why I hit you?" Winona's voice was icy cold.Yvonne nodded slightly. She could guess that it was because of Joe. If it weren’t for her, Joe wouldn’t be in the emergency room."Since you know, why are you still letting your friend protect you?" Winona's tone became even colder.Yvonne stepped forward, her voice trembling as she apologized, "I’m sorry.""Sorry?" Winona let out a bitter laugh. "Do you think sorry is enough? If it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t be like this. Yvonne, you’re the root of all evil."Unable to stand it any longer, Nina pulled Yvonne behind her again and confronted Winona directly. "Mrs. Turner, I think you need to understand something first. It was Mr. Turner who—""Nina, do
In her memory, Joe had controlled every aspect of her life, dictating what she could wear and where she could go. It wasn’t about him helping or making her successful."Mrs. Turner, what’s your point? Even if what you say is true, does that justify hurting Yvonne?" Nina snapped, still convinced that Joe’s obsession with Yvonne was the reason for her suffering.After seeing Joe's erratic behavior today, Nina was more certain than ever that Yvonne needed to get away from him.Winona scoffed coldly, rising to her feet, and pointed at Yvonne. "Didn’t you say you were leaving? Then go. Leave for good. I want to see if you’re really going to walk away or if this is just another one of your games."I’m not like Joe. I have no feelings for you," Winona said, her tone harsh and emotionless, which was exactly what Yvonne had been hoping for.But still, she hesitated. Joe was in the emergency room, and she couldn’t just leave him behind. She couldn’t bring herself to walk away."Fine, we’ll
Not wanting to disappoint her fan, Yvonne reluctantly agreed to the additional exhibit. The meeting had not gone the way she had planned, and during the rest of the conversation, she was half-engaged, eager for it to be over.Finally, the investor took a phone call and excused himself, leaving Yvonne to breathe a sigh of relief.Nina pouted. "What am I going to do with you? You don’t want to keep benefiting from Joe’s protection, but you also can’t bear to let your fans down.""It’s fine. Joe hasn’t woken up yet, right? I can’t leave anyway, so I might as well go along with the investor’s plans. If we cooperate this time, next time they won’t give us any trouble," Yvonne said with a bitter smile, though she had little confidence in her words.She had been ready to breach her contract and pay the penalty, but now she was caught in organizing yet another exhibit. Yvonne sighed deeply.Nina shot her an exasperated look.As they were heading downstairs, Nina caught sight of the woman
“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