The elderly lady's expression turned serious. “Oh, dear, it looks like you've been out here for quite a while, and she still won’t see you? Young man, I’ve lived a long time, and I’ve got some advice if you’re willing to hear it.”Quincy assumed she was going to advise him to give up. If he were in someone else’s shoes, he might say the same thing. But only those in love knew that true feelings would not just vanish like dust in the wind.To his surprise, the elderly woman took a different approach. “When I was young, I went after my husband even though he didn’t like me at first. And his family? They thought I was just a country girl, plain and uncultured. But so what? I knew what I wanted. I was set on him, so I kept at it until I won him over.”She chuckled, her eyes twinkling with pride.Quincy instinctively asked, “And after you got together, did his family still treat you the same way?”“Of course not. Parents just want their kids to find a good partner. They’re not trying t
"Yes, we have one! The next tour leaves tomorrow morning. It's a seven-day trip to the grasslands with horseback riding, milk wine tastings, and all expenses covered!" The college girl was so thrilled she could barely get the words out. It was her first day at this part-time job, and she had already made a sale! With this paycheck, she could finally send money for her grandmother’s medical expenses."Then I’ll book that one," Lydia replied, not caring much about the destination. As long as it took her far from Quincy and Eugene, it was enough. After paying, she added the guide as a contact. Rather than going back home, Lydia booked a hotel close to the departure point and settled in for the night. Once in her room, she video-called her parents, "I’m joining a tour group and heading out tomorrow. I’ll be back next week.""Sounds good! This is the perfect time for you to explore," her mom encouraged. "Travel broadens the mind. Did you pack everything you need?"Lydia shook her hea
“Is there really any difference between him and a desperate fool right now? Is Lydia really worth all this?” Tiffany thought.Quincy ignored Tiffany entirely, his back turned, treating her as if she wasn’t even there. Tiffany knew her words had no effect, so she resorted to calling for backup. Less than half an hour later, Mrs. Perez showed up.Seeing her, Quincy almost lost it. “Mom, you’re not in good health. You just had surgery. What are you doing out of the hospital?”“Good thing I came. Who knows how long you would’ve stood out here acting like an idiot if I hadn’t shown up?” She tapped his forehead hard, her voice sharp with frustration. “Quincy, I’m practically on my deathbed. Can’t you just let me have a little peace?”If Lydia’s background had been ordinary, Mrs. Perez would have gladly paid her to leave. But Lydia wasn’t just anyone. She was the daughter of the influential Fay family.Mrs. Perez couldn’t interfere directly with them, so she had no choice but to pressure
The timing of Mrs. Perez’s illness seemed almost too convenient. Could she be faking it? The thought struck Quincy, and he decided he needed to investigate further without raising suspicion.Not long after he left, Mrs. Perez got up, unaware that her actions had aroused her son’s suspicions. She was busy consulting with the doctor about her plan. “When you’re with my son, make sure to play up the seriousness of my condition. Otherwise, he’ll keep leaning toward that little troublemaker.”“Don’t worry, we go way back. I won’t let you down.” The doctor thumped his chest in reassurance. “But actually, I could use a hand myself. My son’s studying abroad, and we’re a bit short on funds. Do you think you could lend a little? I’ll pay you back after I get my bonus this year.”Mrs. Perez brushed off his concern with ease, agreeing right away. After all, she had money to spare. When Quincy had worked as an assistant, he had sent her a portion of his paycheck each month. Now that he had his
Looking at his parents, Eugene felt only pity. This was what happened when you couldn’t be with the one you loved. He had no intention of repeating their mistakes.He knew how deeply he loved Lydia. Once they were married, he would make sure to come home to her every night. They would share their lives together, and when they had children, they would travel as a family. His marriage would be nothing like his parents’.“My wedding is my own business,” he told them, his tone firm. “I called you here to inform you, not to ask for permission. We’ll have both families meet soon. Try not to embarrass me.”With that, he walked away. There was nothing more to say to them.Later, as he reached out to Mr. Fay to arrange a dinner for the families, he received an apologetic response. “Sorry, Eugene, but Lydia’s off traveling right now. I’m not sure when she’ll be back. Let’s discuss this again sometime later.”The vagueness in Mr. Fay’s words wasn’t lost on Eugene. Both men understood that “s
Quincy was wide awake, going over the investigation report he had finally gotten his hands on, page by page under his desk lamp. By the time he finished, he was at a loss for words.The surgery had been a lie, but the illness was real. His mother was indeed in the early stages of lung cancer, and with her weak heart, treating both conditions would be incredibly difficult. Yet, even now, rather than focusing on her health, she was fixated on pushing him to leave Lydia.He decided he would have to talk to her about it in the morning. Just as he was about to go to bed, he picked up his phone to check the time and saw a message from Eugene that felt like a slap in the face. The smug text announced Eugene’s engagement to Lydia, complete with screenshots of congratulatory comments flooding social media.Quincy felt as though every drop of blood had stopped cold in his veins.Eugene and Lydia, getting married?It was all over the trending news, so it had to be true. But was this Lydia’s
“Who started spreading this nonsense? They’re out here ruining lives, just saying whatever they want,” Mrs. Fay fumed. Once she tracked down whoever was responsible, she was ready to sue and make them pay. This was too much.“It’s probably not just some random account,” Lydia replied thoughtfully. “At most, they’re just adding fuel to the fire. I think I know exactly who’s behind this.”“Who?” Mr. Fay asked urgently. “Tell me, and I’ll make sure they face the consequences. This is infuriating!”“Eugene,” Lydia said flatly.Silence fell on the other end. Her parents exchanged glances, disbelief written across their faces.Eugene had always seemed like such a stand-up guy, genuinely fond of Lydia, treating her parents with respect like they were his own. How could he possibly pull something like this?Lydia guessed her parents would have trouble believing it. She continued, “He’s been pushing hard for marriage. He knocked on my door for so long that even the neighbors came out to
Mrs. Perez panicked. All Quincy’s recent concessions had been because he thought she was sick. If he discovered the whole truth, it would likely end in a huge fallout, and he would probably go straight back to Lydia.Her eyes went dark just thinking about it. “Quincy, please, let me explain.”“What is there to explain? The facts are right here. Mom, you’re not a child anymore,” Quincy replied, exasperated. “How could you use something like this as a joke?”The diagnosis was clear on her chart, and he had even consulted specialists who said this illness couldn’t be ignored. Surgery and treatment now could at least give her a good quality of life, but if delayed, even surgery might only keep her bedridden. He couldn’t bring himself to ignore her condition.“But I did it for your own good! If you’d just let me worry a little less, I wouldn’t have had to lie,” Mrs. Perez insisted, realizing her explanations weren’t working. She decided to pull out the “mother’s love” card, hoping to pr
“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