The car quickly departed from the front of the building. Watching the shadow of the car fading away, Nina involuntarily clenched her fists."So, this lady wasn't lying. She really does have a connection with Mr. York," the receptionist remarked, feeling uncertain."They took her away, their relationship must be good. If Mr. York blames us, we'll be in trouble," someone else commented.Hearing this, Nina felt a bit down. She had witnessed Mr. York's ruthlessness towards women, as well as his tenderness. It all depended on whether he liked them or not. If he favored someone like Miranda, he'd rush her to the hospital even for a minor injury. He'd also worry about Linda if she got hurt, rushing to take her to the hospital without delay.The receptionist was also a bit flustered, fearing that the accident might have resulted from her attempt to prevent Linda from visiting Mr. York. She pleaded, "Nina, if Mr. York holds us accountable, could you please put in a good word for us?"Nin
Grandpa George's words resonated deeply with her. Having experienced so many wars, he understood how precious the present days were. A strong nation was less likely to be bullied, so it was essential to safeguard this homeland. Though Nina hadn't lived through the cruelty of that era, she could still recognize that Grandpa George's most glorious moments were in his youth. Even as he aged, he still harbored a desire to contribute more to the country.Grandpa George's eyes welled up as he spoke. Nina listened attentively, noticing the scars left on his legs from gunshot wounds, which revealed the hardships they had endured."Grandpa George, our country is strong now, and there are many talented individuals. There's little chance of war happening," Nina comforted him."You shouldn't be too complacent," Grandpa George cautioned.Suddenly, he chuckled, "But there's no shortage of talent. Nash is a prime example. Achieving feats at such a young age. It's all thanks to his grandfather.
He was reminding Nina. Her own husband should be managed well, and she shouldn't let others take advantage of her.Nina didn't want Grandpa George to worry about her relationship with Nash while he was ill, so she smiled and said, "I know, Nash has already talked to me about it. Grandpa George, it's getting late, and it's chilly outside. Let's go back in.""Okay." Grandpa George understood and didn't say anything more.Nina escorted Grandpa George back to his hospital room, bid him farewell, and was debating whether or not to go to the obstetrics and gynecology department. But Linda happened to call her, "Nina, could you come to the hospital? I have something to discuss with you."Nina decided to go after all.Quincy was standing guard at the door and seemed bewildered when he saw Nina approaching, as if he was afraid of her coming here."Nina, why are you here?" Quincy forced a smile.Nina remained calm and asked, "What's going on?""Well, maybe you should call Mr. York first
Quincy glanced at Nina. Nina said, "Please leave." Quincy then closed the door. Linda lifted the covers, sat on the edge of the bed, and eagerly caressed her belly. "Nina, I know Mr. York has someone in his heart." Nina clenched her fists tightly. Linda hung her head and slowly continued, "Mr. York's kindness towards me is also because of that person. He only likes me because I resemble her. Even so, I am content. I don't ask for much. Being pregnant with Mr. York's child is enough for me." At this point, Linda looked at Nina and said, "Nina, you are also aware, aren't you? That person's name is Miranda." Nina's face turned pale. She even knew about this. "Has Nash told you that he considers you a substitute for Miranda?" Nina asked again. Linda shrugged, "Whether I'm a substitute or not doesn't matter to me. I was born ordinary, so receiving even a bit of favoritism is enough." If it weren't for Nash personally telling Linda, how would she have known? Nina felt dishearte
"What?" Linda's expression instantly turned ugly, unable to believe it. "Impossible. The timing matches, and I have memories of it. How could it not be Mr. York? You must have made a mistake.""It's just so coincidental!" the person on the phone said. "When I heard they were looking for someone, I thought you must have hit the jackpot. But it turns out we were all mistaken. The room number was wrong, and the person that night wasn't Mr. York. He was a man in his forties or fifties."Now Linda's face went pale, and she glanced at her belly, becoming agitated. "How could I possibly be pregnant with a child from a man in his forties or fifties?"This was a huge letdown.She had been living in a bubble of happiness.If she hadn't been given such high expectations, she wouldn't have held onto hope.When she found out the man from that night was Nash, she thought it was the smartest thing she had ever done in her life.To hook such a rich and handsome man so quickly.But reality told
Nash's words also caught Quincy off guard.Quincy thought to himself, "No, it couldn't be. Linda was pregnant, and she was the woman from that night. The child must be his.""Let's go," Nash suddenly said."Okay," Quincy started the car.Nash frowned. "I meant get out of the car!""Mr. York, don't you have a meeting to attend? They're all waiting, and there's too many people here!" Quincy observed the crowded area, knowing it would be congested.It wasn't unusual for Nina to be here, but for him to come without security clearing the area, given his typical lifestyle habits, he wouldn't fancy going this route.Nash stared at Quincy calmly and said, "Don't you enjoy places like this?""Huh?" Quincy was taken aback. Since when did he like coming to places like this? But seeing Nash's sharp gaze, he could only nod. "Yes, yes, I enjoy coming here.""Alright, let's get out!" Nash turned his gaze outside.He got out of the car first, watching the bustling crowd, unable to fathom why
Fortunately, the boss was prepared and had already hidden before Nash’s second shot."Quincy, did I hit it?" Nash asked absentmindedly."...," Quincy looked at the pale-faced boss, "You almost did!"As Scott was being hugged by Nina, he witnessed her happiness for the first time and paused for a moment. Then, he smiled as he gently said, "No need to rush now, right?""Not anymore, I'm very happy," Nina smiled.The boss also breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Young man, you're very skilled. Not many people can hit the one at the back!"He quickly handed giant brown bear soft toy over to Nina.Nina hugged it, feeling a sense of relief as if something that belonged to her had finally arrived."There are still so many hoops left, what should we do?" Scott said."We'll toss them all. We will take whichever one we hook," replied Nina."Alright." Scott agreed, still skilled in the game. Each toss was precise, catching only trivial prizes that served no real purpose ex
Quincy, however, was sweating profusely. This was his livelihood. How could he not follow Nash along? Seeing Nash's displeased expression, he added, "Mr. York, don't be upset. Nina still wants to play. How about we join them?"Nash replied sourly, "Who wants to be with her?"Not wanting to push it further, Nina turned to Scott and said, "There are many more fun things up ahead. Let's go check them out.""Okay," Scott glanced at Nash again. "Mr. York, I’ll go ahead first."The two continued walking ahead.Watching their backs, Nash's expression darkened. "Quincy, do you want to go with them?""Of course, of course!" Quincy immediately called out. "Nina, I'd like to join you."With that, Nash followed suit.Trailing behind them, his gaze naturally fell on the brown bear soft toy that Nina clung to tightly. "Just a small toy makes her so happy," he thought. Her excitement just now seemed as if she had found the world's greatest treasure. Yet, it was just a cheap toy!He cou
The Stone family wasn’t just greedy. They were relentless, always pushing boundaries and expecting more.Karina sighed. “It’s not that I can’t stand up to them, but sometimes it feels unnecessary. There are things that just can’t be explained.”Wilfred didn’t press further. “Pack your things and come with me. I have to travel for a project negotiation that will help our hospital continue expanding.” He was determined to firmly establish himself in Birkham, not just for his professional ambitions but also because Nina was there. Wilfred wanted to protect her and mentor his students, ensuring they could safeguard Nina’s children in the future. “But didn’t we already promise a patient that we’d perform surgery?” Karina asked, a little hesitant. “I’ll arrange for someone else to handle it.” While Karina might have been the better choice for the surgery, Wilfred had other options, including pulling Caleb in at the last minute. “Alright,” Karina replied. Since Wilfred had
Sera blocked Karina’s path, her expression cold and disdainful. “You think you can just use that money to brush me off? Do I look like someone who needs your measly cash?”She grabbed Karina’s arm tightly, her nails biting into her skin. “Let me make this clear. If you don’t do what I’ve asked, I’ll ruin you, Karina. Completely.”Karina’s fear was palpable, but the thought of endless torment and manipulation was even more terrifying. She met Sera’s fierce gaze with a calm, unyielding stare. “Do whatever you want. But let me remind you, the money you gave me? I’m willing to go down with you if it comes to that. My life might not be worth much, but you’ve worked so hard to get into Wilfred’s hospital. Are you really willing to throw that all away?”Sera faltered. She had worked incredibly hard to get where she was. Countless sleepless nights studying, memorizing every detail of her medical texts, and enduring the challenges of difficult patients had pushed her to the brink. She often
Sera’s gaze was so sharp it felt like it could pierce through Karina. Karina hadn’t expected her momentary greed to create such a mess. If she couldn’t stay a doctor, she would have no source of income, and her life would spiral further out of control. “Please, don’t do this. Tell me what you want, and I’ll keep helping you. Maybe… I could spike his drink for you again, or set up another opportunity,” Karina said, grabbing Sera’s hand out of desperation. Sera clearly wasn’t short on money. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to give Karina such a large sum back then.All she wanted now was to secure her position at the hospital.Sera pulled her hand away, a mocking smile on her face. “Set up another opportunity? Do you think Wilfred would fall for it twice? Do you take him for an idiot, Dr. Norman?” Wilfred wasn’t an idiot, and ordinary drugs didn’t seem to affect him much.Karina felt utterly helpless. One wrong step had led to another, and now she had no idea how to
“Starting today, you’ll officially resume your position as my assistant. I trust you’ll adapt quickly,” Wilfred said firmly. Karina’s eyes lit up with a hint of surprise. “Dr. Wilfred, really? I’ll do my best to fulfill the responsibilities of the assistant role.” Wilfred stood up and walked over to her, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Familiarize yourself with the current work schedule and the relevant materials. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me. I have confidence in you.” Karina hesitated, a trace of worry crossing her face. “But… I’m not sure this is a good idea.” Wilfred already had an assistant. If Karina agreed to take the position, wouldn’t that make her a target for trouble from his former assistant? And then there were all the people at the hospital who were infatuated with Wilfred. Lately, she had already been spending more time with him, drawing enough attention as it was. If she officially became his assistant, she’d surely
Back home, the first thing Karina did was take a shower, cranking the water temperature to the highest setting as if that was the only way to wash away the grim memories of the night.She scrubbed her arms fiercely, the spots where those repulsive men had touched her. Even through her clothes, the thought made her feel sick. Again and again, she lathered herself with soap until her skin turned slightly red, but no matter how hard she tried, the discomfort in her heart lingered.After her shower, Karina changed into clean pajamas and sat on the edge of her bed, unable to sleep. Her gaze fell on her phone. She hesitated for a moment before sending a text to Wilfred.“Dr. Wilfred, I’m truly grateful for your help tonight. I’ll never forget it.”After sending the message, she set her phone down, hugged her knees, and curled up on the bed. Returning to the hospital had always been her dream, but now she worried whether she could truly meet expectations and not let Wilfred down.As she
The men exchanged uneasy glances, hesitating for a moment before reluctantly mumbling, “Sorry,” to Karina. Wilfred watched their retreating figures with thinly veiled disgust. Turning to Karina, he asked gently, “Are you okay?” Karina shook her head lightly, brushing it off. “I’m fine, Dr. Wilfred. Thank you.” Wilfred let out a soft sigh. “Come with me. You shouldn’t be working here.” Karina nodded, following him out of the private room. Wilfred guided Karina through the bustling bar. The pounding music and chaotic chatter seemed distant and muted, fading into the background as they moved. They made their way to the parking lot, where Wilfred opened the car door, carefully helping Karina into the passenger seat before getting in himself and starting the engine. As Karina buckled her seatbelt, she turned to Wilfred with a look of curiosity. “Dr. Wilfred, didn’t you say you had things to handle at the hospital? How did you get here so quickly?” Wilfred kept his ey
When Karina stepped into the room, one of the men, his gaze hazy from drink, chuckled and said, “Well, so this is the beauty they sent over?”Karina forced herself to stay calm and replied politely, “Good evening, gentlemen. Here’s the drinks you ordered.” She began placing the drinks on the table one by one, hoping to finish quickly. Before she could finish, another man grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him. “Come, have a few drinks with us, sweetheart.”Karina’s heart raced as she pulled her hand away with force. “Sir, I’m just here to deliver your drinks. I don’t entertain guests.”The men burst into laughter. “What bar do you think you’re in? There’s no such thing as not entertaining here. Don’t play coy, sweetheart. Sit with us, and you’ll be rewarded handsomely.”Fear surged through Karina as she instinctively stepped back, trying to maintain some distance. “I’m really just here for work,” she said, her voice trembling. “Please respect me!”But the men, emboldened
The woman leaned closer to Karina, lowering her voice. “You ruined my fun. The manager and I were having a great time, and you interrupted us. You need to make it up to me.”Karina’s frustration flared. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. The door wasn’t fully closed, and I was only there to talk about resigning.”But the woman wasn’t about to let it go. “I don’t care. You need to make it up to me. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee your night will go smoothly or that you’ll get to leave this job without issues.”Anger surged through Karina. “You’re being unreasonable! I didn’t do anything wrong!”The woman sneered. “In this bar, what I say goes. If you don’t cooperate, I have plenty of ways to make sure you can’t stay.”Karina knew arguing with her in this chaotic environment would only make things worse. But the idea of being bullied like this made her seethe. Taking a deep breath, she tried to stay calm. “What do you want me to do?”The woman’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “It’s simple. Ha
A strikingly glamorous woman sat perched on the manager’s lap, the two locked in a tight embrace, passionately kissing. The scene was nothing short of intimate, their connection palpable.Karina stood awkwardly at the door, caught between stepping in and retreating. She coughed lightly, trying to get their attention.Hearing the sound, the manager gently pushed the woman aside and turned toward the door. His expression showed no embarrassment; instead, he appeared slightly annoyed. “Karina, why didn’t you knock before coming in?”Karina forced a smile, her discomfort evident. “The door wasn’t fully closed. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’m here to talk about resigning.”The manager adjusted his clothes, gesturing for the woman to sit aside. He raised his brows slightly. “Resign? Why the sudden decision to quit?”Karina bit her lip nervously. “It’s for personal reasons. I really can’t continue working here.”The manager leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. A f