"Yvonne, please, don't scare me." Joe hesitated as he reached for her hand, afraid that he might frighten her, and pulled back.Yvonne giggled absentmindedly. "I'm not Yvonne. I'm Little Sister." She got out of bed and wandered over to the couch. She picked up a cup of water from the table, not even aware of how long it had been sitting there or who had drunk from it. Joe hurried over and snatched the cup away.Yvonne looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears.Joe quickly fetched a fresh cup, his voice soft and soothing. "Here, take this. You want some water, right? I'll pour it for you.""Water, I want water," she said in a childlike tone, completely unaware of how deeply it pained Joe to see her like this.The sight of her, so lost and broken, made his chest ache. He regretted not stopping Winona when he had the chance. He blamed himself for what had happened to Yvonne. Gently brushing her hair from her forehead, a thought began to form in Joe’s mind.He wanted to keep Y
Before the assistant could finish his sentence, Joe shot him a look that made him go silent.Joe did not want to use underhanded tactics anymore. He wanted Yvonne to stay by his side willingly. After talking with the doctor about some care details, Joe left to buy a small cake. When he returned, he saw Nina trying to help Yvonne eat. However, Yvonne was refusing, despite Nina’s patient coaxing.Joe walked over, took the food away, and placed the small cake on the table.The moment Yvonne saw the cake, her face lit up, and she clapped her hands, shouting, "Cake! Cake!"Joe felt a wave of relief and excitement. Acting surprised, he said, "Does Little Sister like cake? Then I will buy you all the cake you want. How does that sound?"Yvonne beamed, nodding eagerly, "Yes! I want lots of cake!"Nina pulled Joe aside, warning him, "If you keep giving her cake, she’ll never eat proper meals."Joe smirked confidently, "Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she eats her meals. Thrice a day, no ex
Nash could not help but laugh, a bit bewildered by her thought process. He cupped Nina's face and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I don’t think so. Look at us! We're proof that people who love each other end up together, right?""I’m talking about Yvonne," Nina said, still focused on her friend's situation, not wanting to steer the conversation back to themselves.Nash gestured for her to look. At that moment, Yvonne was sitting on Joe’s back, treating him like a horse. "You have to trust that everything happens for a reason, even if it seems ridiculous. This might just be the best thing for her."He did not mention how the Gibsons had slandered Yvonne after everything fell apart. Seeing how Joe took care of her now, Nash felt that this outcome might be better than marrying into the Gibson family. Yvonne, with her personality, would never have survived under the control of Nigel’s mother, let alone the aunts.Suddenly, Yvonne yelped and jumped off Joe’s back, starting to pull do
Day after day, Joe could not avoid his duties at the company any longer, but Yvonne refused to let anyone else near her. With no other option, he started bringing her to the office. To ensure she wasn’t disturbed or triggered by anything, Joe set up children’s toys and equipment in his office. He also issued a notice that no one except his assistant was allowed inside.One morning, as Joe brought Yvonne into the office, some employees immediately recognized her. Seeing her in her childlike state, they began whispering and gossiping, saying all sorts of things. Though Joe did not hear them, Nigel did. Nigel had finally convinced Mr. Gibson Sr. to allow him to handle business, and on his first day at Turner Corporation, he ran into Yvonne. Seeing the woman he still loved in such a state broke his heart. When he overheard someone say she deserved it, rage flared inside him. But Nigel was not the impulsive young man he once was.Instead of causing a scene, he followed his assistant
A month had passed without any incidents, and it was time for Nina’s prenatal checkup. After breakfast, she asked Orion to go upstairs and pack her things for the hospital, giving him instructions on what to bring. Being heavily pregnant made everything a challenge, so Nina sat on the couch, using her phone to guide Orion step by step.Nash had been tied up with work lately, wanting to be there for her but unable to. Nina understood, which was why she decided to head to the hospital on her own.Half an hour later, Orion came running downstairs with a small backpack. "Mom, I’m grown up now, right? I can help you with things."Nina smiled and patted his head gently. "Yes, our Orion is really growing up."Beaming, Orion slung the backpack over his shoulders, grabbed the wheelchair, and helped Nina into it. Fortunately, the wheelchair was electric. Otherwise, Orion’s small frame wouldn’t be able to push it.The driver spotted them and immediately got out of the car to assist. "Ma’
Joe silently cursed Nina in his heart a hundred times over. He had his reasons for bringing Yvonne to the hospital, and as the one taking care of her, who was she to interfere? Outwardly, though, he kept his smile, explaining smoothly, "Nothing happened. I just happened to have some free time today, so I brought her in."After that, he turned to Yvonne and asked gently, "Are you hungry? Let’s go get something good to eat."Yvonne immediately nodded, eagerly repeating that she wanted something delicious."Mr. and Mrs. York, let’s catch up another time. I’m going to take her to eat," Joe said before walking off with Yvonne. Nina, however, wasn’t fooled by Joe’s act. As soon as he left, she turned to Nash, voicing her suspicion that Joe was up to something. She insisted that Nash use his connections to find out Joe’s true motives. It was finally her turn for the check-up, so Nash wheeled her into the examination room. While she was inside, Nash called the hospital director. He kn
At an outdoor bar on the outskirts of the city, Nash poured a drink for Joe. With a slight smile, Nash asked, "As a man, I have to say I don’t understand you. There are so many women in the world. Why are you so fixated on Yvonne?"Joe sneered, "Then why are you so obsessed with Nina?"Nash met his gaze, speaking each word deliberately. "Because she feels the same about me."Joe fell silent, unable to respond.Taking a swig of his drink, Joe let out a cold laugh. "Cut to the chase, Nash. No need to beat around the bush."Nash set his glass down, his face turning serious as he locked eyes with Joe. "Removing Yvonne’s uterus. Is your plan to keep her mad for the rest of her life?"Joe shook his head, not answering directly.A cool breeze blew through, and Joe glanced up at the sky. Suddenly, he heard Nigel’s voice nearby. He turned to see Nigel sitting with a beautiful woman. She was likely his new love interest, judging by the way Nigel looked at her.Joe scoffed. "Honestly,
Yvonne nodded. She knew that as long as she went along with whatever Joe wanted, he would not get mad at her. Nervously and awkwardly, she pressed her lips to his, mimicking what he had done before by giving a small bite. But that was it, she did not know what else to do.Joe, in a great mood, pulled her close and let things escalate. Afterward, he brought her a pill and a glass of water, watching as she swallowed it. Yvonne was curious, wondering why she had to take medicine after every encounter. However, she was too scared to ask and just did as she was told. Once she finished, she obediently lay back down. After Joe left the room, she snuck to the door and listened. She heard him standing outside for a while before he finally walked into his study. Relieved, she climbed back into bed and fell asleep.The next day, after lunch, Joe took Yvonne to the hospital to discuss the surgery again. When they were told it could not proceed for the time being, Joe immediately suspecte
“Jenna, have you heard? That notoriously difficult patient from the neighboring department actually thanked the staff today. I can’t believe it,” Mandy said, her face lit with surprise.Jenna chuckled and replied, “Maybe our care finally moved him. By the way, why hasn’t Dr. Karina come back yet? She should’ve finished her rounds by now.”Mandy shrugged casually. “Probably a patient with a more complex situation. You know how meticulous and responsible Dr. Karina is.”“That’s true, but it’s been so long already. I’m starting to feel uneasy,” Jenna said, frowning as a sliver of worry crept into her thoughts.“Oh, don’t overthink it. Maybe she ran into someone she knows and stopped to chat. This hospital’s big, after all,” Mandy tried to reassure her.But as the minutes ticked by, Karina still didn’t return.Jenna couldn’t sit still anymore. She stood up and said, “This isn’t right. I’m going to check on her. It’s late, and I don’t want anything bad happening.”Seeing Jenna’s seri
Karina threw out those words and ran off.The only place she could go was the hospital, where she had switched shifts to cover the night shift.Tonight, the hospital hallways were unusually quiet, with only the occasional beeping of medical equipment breaking the silence. As usual, Karina patrolled the patient ward, checking on the conditions of her patients. But then, an unexpected figure appeared before her. Kieran hobbled toward her, leaning heavily on his crutches, his gait uneven. Karina wrinkled her nose. What was that smell? It seemed to be coming from him. The closer he got, the stronger the scent became.Kieran reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were clouded with confusion and wildness. “Karina…” he slurred her name, his voice thick and indistinct. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly.Startled, Karina tried to pull away. “Kieran, you’re drunk! What are you doing here? Let go of me!” But Kieran ignored her protests. Fueled by alcohol, he ya
Kieran didn’t see it that way. “Of course, it benefits me. Look at you! You came back, didn’t you? Regretting not giving me that 40,000 yet? You could’ve saved us both the trouble if you’d just handed it over earlier.” “You—” “Now it’s 100,000,” Kieran interrupted, reclining smugly in his wheelchair. “You want the trending posts gone, don’t you? Pay up—100,000, not a penny less. Otherwise...” His voice dropped, laced with menace. “I’ve still got a few things up my sleeve.” The blatant threat made Karina’s hands tremble, her voice quivering as she spoke. “One hundred thousand? Wasn’t it forty just a few days ago?” Kieran sneered. “That was the old price. It’s 100,000 now, take it or leave it.” Karina could taste blood in her mouth. Her lips had been bitten raw without her noticing. Rage and utter disappointment overwhelmed her. This was her family. Twenty years of being with them, and all they had ever done was take. They had given her nothing in return. Her mind wa
Wilfred pondered briefly after hearing Karina's words. “I’m coming with you. Don’t rush to refuse. After what happened last time, I don’t think I need to remind you of the situation. If I hadn’t been there, leaving the Stone family might not have been so easy.”Karina couldn’t argue, especially when she remembered Kieran’s aggressive demeanor during her last visit. She took a deep breath and smiled faintly. “I’ll have to trouble you again, Dr. Wilfred.”Wilfred’s lips curved into a faint smile. True to his word, he personally drove Karina to the Stone residence that very day.As they arrived, Karina stopped at the door. “You can wait here. If things get bad, you can come in.”Wilfred glanced at her phone. “Keep the phone on you.”Karina held it up for him to see. She had already set him as her emergency contact. “If anything happens, I’ll call right away.”Prepared, Karina used the key she still had to open the door and walked in.The moment she stepped inside, Mr. Stone’s face
Karina felt the need to clarify. “It’s not because of what they’re saying about me. It’s… something else.”She left the rest unsaid, but Wilfred had already pieced it together. He had seen the trending posts online, and after hearing the truth from her a few days ago, everything made sense.The online rumors didn’t just accuse her of secretly taking photos. They delved into her past, exposing videos and photos of her working multiple part-time jobs day and night. The posts claimed she came from a poor background and insinuated that her position at the hospital was only secured by leveraging a powerful benefactor.It didn’t take much to infer that the “benefactor” in question was him.Karina’s past wasn’t common knowledge in the hospital. Even Wilfred only learned about it through her explanation. The only people who could expose such private details were her own family. Wilfred’s gaze softened with an almost imperceptible hint of pity. She had sacrificed her youth working hersel
Karina’s grip loosened instantly, her eyes filled with disbelief. “What did you just say?” How could they possibly know... Could it be the intern? But hadn’t she already left the hospital?The nurse smirked and shook her hand dismissively. “Oh, you didn’t know? Go check online yourself. Someone’s already exposed all your shameful secrets.” Boom! Karina staggered back, her face pale as a sheet. It took all her strength just to steady herself. With trembling hands, she pulled out her phone. Her movements were frantic, her urgency barely concealed. In her mind, she prayed over and over again, begging it not to be true. But reality wasn’t kind. Karina unlocked her phone, and an overwhelming flood of messages and trending headlines popped up. The words “secretly taking photos” leapt off the screen, stabbing her like a blade. Her limbs turned to jelly, and she nearly collapsed under the weight of the revelation. One of the nurses sneered, her voice dripping with m
Karina had never seen that particular look in Wilfred's eyes before. The emotions were subtle, hidden beneath the surface, almost imperceptible unless one paid close attention. Having spent so much time by his side recently, she had grown adept at reading his subtle expressions.“Sorry, Dr. Wilfred, have I caused trouble for you again?” she asked hesitantly, her guilt written all over her face.Wilfred lifted his gaze, ready to deliver a prepared response. Yet, faced with her earnest eyes, his words faltered, and what he finally said was, “From now on, you don’t need to call me ‘Dr. Wilfred’ every time.”“Then what should I call you? Mr. Wilfred?” she asked tentatively.“Just my name.”Wilfred’s voice was calm as he used his knife and fork to cut into his steak. His dark lashes framed eyes that seemed to glimmer with depth, as if they held secrets untold. Despite his cool demeanor, Karina felt a small surge of satisfaction and smiled. “Alright. At the hospital, I’ll call y
Karina handed the menu to Wilfred. “Take a look and let me know if there’s anything you can’t eat.”Wilfred’s reply was brief. “No.”Relieved, Karina took the menu back and carefully selected a few dishes she could afford within her current budget. “How about this?”Wilfred glanced at the choices. His expression was calm as always, but Karina felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She couldn’t even lift her head. She had invited him out for dinner, confidently saying it was her treat, yet this was all she could afford. “He must think so little of me,” she thought. But before her thoughts could spiral further, Wilfred withdrew his gaze. “This is fine, but you don’t need to factor in my preferences so much. Order whatever you like.” Karina flushed, realizing he had seen right through her. She had indeed chosen the dishes based on what she thought he would like. The food arrived quickly. Karina, ever attentive, handed Wilfred a set of utensils. “This restaurant h
“Send me forty thousand. I need to upgrade to a better wheelchair.”Karina frowned. “Didn’t you just get a new wheelchair recently? Let’s be real, it’s not for the wheelchair, is it? You’re just going to blow it on something else.”Caught off guard, Kieran’s voice rose in anger. “Cut the crap! Just tell me, are you giving me the money or not? Give me forty thousand, and I’ll stay out of your life for a while. Deal?”Listening to his voice through the phone, Karina gripped her phone tightly, regret and frustration bubbling up inside her. No one knew how much she regretted that day. If only she hadn’t gone out, hadn’t gotten into that car, or if she had been the one to die instead. At least then, she would be free. Instead, she was stuck, drained by this family like a parasite that wouldn’t stop until they had sucked her dry.Exhaustion weighed heavily in her voice as she responded, “I told you last time, I don’t have any more money. No matter how many times you ask, the answer wo