Jamie did love Ben. In this lifetime, she had dreamed of being with him. But life had taught her to face reality first.She couldn’t be with Ben again.Shaking her head, she said, “I won’t get back together with Ben. Mrs. Lucas, thank you for no longer standing in our way. But Ben and I have been apart for four years now. I’m not the same Jamie I used to be. Let him keep the version of me he remembers.”It didn’t matter if Ben hated her. Over time, that hatred would fade, and with it, so would his obsession.“Why?” Mrs. Lucas pressed. “Do you want Ben to keep hating you? Don’t you want Charlie to have a complete family? Or is it because of Winnie? Are you trying to give Ben to her?”Her words hit like a knife. Jamie had considered that possibility, but she knew it was unrealistic.She shook her head. “Neither Winnie nor Ben would accept that. I just think that we’ve been apart for too long.”“But he’s never forgotten you,” Mrs. Lucas said firmly. “This is all my fault. If you’re
Ben found it hard to describe his current emotions.It felt as though something was violently pulling at him, threatening to tear him apart. The familiar scent lingering on Jamie overwhelmed his senses, sending his head spinning. Eventually, he blacked out.Mrs. Lucas panicked. “Ben!” she screamed desperately, but he didn’t wake up.Jamie reacted quickly. “Mrs. Lucas, call Caleb. Ask him to come and check on Ben.”Taking Ben to the hospital would inevitably lead to media coverage. Worse, his enemies might seize this opportunity to strike. Having Caleb come over was the safest option.“Right, I’ll call Caleb now,” Mrs. Lucas said hurriedly, snapping out of her panic.Caleb, upon hearing that Ben had coughed up blood and collapsed, grabbed his medical kit and rushed over immediately.The diagnosis was clear. Ben had been overcome by extreme anger and stress. For a man like Ben, with his wealth and career, the root of this emotional upheaval could only be Jamie.Caleb turned t
Jamie had her doubts. Until she saw Winnie’s body with her own eyes, she wouldn’t believe her sister was truly gone. Her home was already in ruins, and Winnie was her only sibling. “She’s not dead,” Ben said hoarsely. “Winnie ran away. Jamie, I can tell you exactly what happened with her pregnancy. I used her, yes, but I never laid a finger on her.” He paused, his voice low but steady. “Even though I deceived her, I made sure she had everything she needed.” The material support Ben provided to Winnie had all been used to improve Jamie’s life and pay for Charlie’s medical expenses. Winnie had genuinely loved Ben and dreamed of building a life with him. Even if she hadn’t come back yet, Jamie believed it was only a matter of time before she did. And when Winnie returned to find Jamie, Ben, and Charlie living happily together as a family, what would she think? How could Jamie disregard Winnie’s feelings? Besides, it had been four years since she and Ben had parted ways.
Ben nodded. “Got it. Please contact him as soon as you can.” “Sure.” After Nash agreed, he hung up and immediately called Nina. He was at work when he made the call. Nina answered with a chuckle. “Didn’t I tell you to focus on work when you’re busy? There’s no need to worry about things at home, right?” With a postpartum caregiver at home, there wasn’t much for Nash to handle himself. He laughed along. “I know, I know, and I haven’t forgotten. But I’m calling because Ben reached out to me. Can you talk to Wilfred? It’s about his first love’s child. The child is seriously ill and needs treatment.” “Got it. I’ll reach out to him right away,” Nina replied. Helping out friends whenever possible just came naturally.Nina explained the situation to Wilfred, who immediately agreed. “I don’t have time today, but tomorrow, you can bring me over to see him.” Wilfred was thrilled that Nina had called, even if it was on someone else’s behalf. For him, any chance to talk to
Charlie still didn’t know that Ben was his father. Throwing Charlie into such a situation, expecting him to adapt and stay with Ben before he even had time to process the truth, would undoubtedly leave him unwilling and confused. Hearing Charlie’s name, Jamie felt a stabbing pain in her heart. She began to avoid the subject. “Stop it. Let’s not talk about things that haven’t happened yet. Ben, I’m not going to be with you. And I can’t stand the thought of being separated from Charlie. If there’s no other way, then let’s just keep the truth from him forever.” Ben refused to let her avoid the issue. “What you’re doing is cruel to Charlie. He’s just over three years old, Jamie. He’s been battling illness his whole life, and he’s never had a father. Now that he has one, how can you deny him that?” Jamie fell silent. Ben’s words cut to the harsh reality of their situation. “I’ll find Winnie as soon as I can,” Ben said. He knew Jamie’s biggest concern was her sister.
Winnie held onto one belief that she had to call Jamie. Fighting through the waves of pain overwhelming her body, she slowly pulled out her phone. When Jamie saw Winnie’s name on the caller ID, she answered immediately. “Where are you?” “Jamie…” Winnie’s weak voice came through the phone. Jamie instantly sensed something was wrong. Panic set in as she shouted, “Winnie, where are you right now?” Turning to Ben, she cried out, “Ben, something’s happened to Winnie! Use your connections to locate her. She just called me. She’s in trouble!” Hearing this, Winnie’s mind flashed to an image of Jamie and Ben together. Ben had taken Charlie back, and now they were a happy family of three. But instead of anger, Winnie felt relief. “Jamie, you’ve worked so hard your whole life. Now, just be with Ben. I fell in love with Jack Green, not Ben. I lost control and acted impulsively. For Charlie’s sake, be with Ben and give Charlie a complete family. You’ll always be my sister. I do
Wilfred said, "I’ll skip this meal. Let’s head over to see your friend’s child first."“Alright, but take care on the road,” Nina replied.Since Wilfred insisted, she didn’t press him to stay. Nash then took Wilfred to Ben’s home. When they arrived, Ben wasn’t there, but Mrs. Lucas was, along with a three-year-old boy. “Mrs. Lucas,” Nash greeted politely. “Is this the child Ben mentioned?” Nash had never met Jamie’s son before, and this was his first time seeing him. Looking at the boy’s features, Nash immediately saw traces of Ben in him. Combined with Mrs. Lucas’s presence and protectiveness, it was obvious this was Ben’s child. “This must be your friend,” Mrs. Lucas said, glancing at Wilfred. “Please take a look at Charlie.” She quickly brought the boy forward. With both Ben and Jamie unwell, Mrs. Lucas had taken it upon herself to care for the child, hoping to make amends. Charlie, being an obedient and understanding boy, had quickly warmed to her. But now, wi
Hearing this, Jamie finally exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. She focused on arranging Winnie’s funeral, even though the weight of it was almost too much to bear. The dead take the past and all the pain, mistakes, and regrets with them, leaving behind only memories worth keeping. But the more Jamie remembered, the more it hurt. Ben had steadied her, calm and supportive. “If you need to cry, just cry. Your sister is gone, and everyone knows how much this hurts.” Jamie shook her head. She had cried enough. Now was the time to stay strong and see the funeral through, to send Winnie off properly. The funeral lasted a long time, though few people attended. Winnie hadn’t had many close connections in life. “Where’s Jack Green?” Jamie suddenly asked midway through. He hadn’t shown up. Winnie had held onto her feelings for him until the very end. How could he not be here for her funeral? Jamie’s heart began to race with urgency. “Ben, can you
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