Jamie focused intently on taking notes, capturing every detail of the meeting. Although Ben appeared to be fully absorbed in the presentation on the screen, his gaze would occasionally and subtly flicker toward her. It was so faint that no one else noticed. The illusion was only broken when the enthusiastic leader of the project team asked, “President Lucas, what do you think of this proposal?” Ben didn’t respond, lost in thought. “President Lucas?” the leader called again, this time with a touch of unease. Snapped out of his thoughts, Ben’s expression hardened. “It’s no good. Go back and redo it.” His tone was curt, his judgment swift as he glanced at the screen to assess the proposal’s flaws. The team leader, who had been passionately presenting moments ago, fell silent, his enthusiasm deflated. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Ben seemed unusually displeased. Had he done something wrong? The meeting was abruptly interrupted midway when Ben’s assistant entered
Others might not understand Ben’s character, but the assistant certainly did. Ben was calm, detached, and distrustful. He was the type to stick to a decision once made. This was the first time the assistant had seen someone actually make him reconsider.Jamie couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed by the weight of that realization.They took a cab to the old district. The moment they stepped out of the car, the distant sounds of shouting made it clear why Ben hadn’t wanted her to come.“It’s your fault my mom is gravely ill! Pay up!”“Block their way! Don’t let them escape! These folks want to tear down our homes and leave us with nowhere to go, only to buy us off with a few measly pennies!” A mob of people surrounded a small group who clearly had no means to defend themselves. The crowd brandished sticks and shovels, looking like an angry mob ready to revolt. But this time, their actions didn’t seem to be rooted in justice.One middle-aged man in the center, drenched i
The man lunged forward, grabbing Jamie’s wrist before she could fully evade him. Pain shot through her arm as his grip tightened. “What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, her other hand clutching her phone as she frantically dialed for help. But the man had anticipated her move. He snatched the phone from her hand and slammed it to the ground with a loud crack. “Go ahead, try calling the cops now,” he sneered, his voice dripping with menace. Not far away, the assistant witnessed the entire scene. Panicked, he shouted, “Jamie, hold on! I’m coming!” “Don’t come over!” Jamie yelled back sharply, stopping him in his tracks. She was already surrounded. The last thing she wanted was to drag someone else into this dangerous situation. The assistant froze, torn between his urge to help and her firm warning. He could do nothing but pace nervously like a trapped animal, his anxiety palpable. The man, noticing Jamie’s interaction with the assistant, narrowed his eye
Ben was exhausted. Jamie knew that and didn’t want to trouble him with every issue. Yet Ben still showed up. “You came… I thought… you wouldn’t,” Jamie said, her voice wavering slightly. Earlier, surrounded by an angry mob and nearly having her wrist crushed, she hadn’t uttered a sound of pain. But now, a hint of vulnerability crept in. Perhaps it was just human nature to be strong through everything, only to falter when met with genuine concern. Ben pulled her into his arms, her faintly reddened eyes breaking his composure. His shoulders trembled slightly as he murmured, “I’m sorry. I came too late.” Jamie didn’t resist, quietly leaning into him for a moment. The troublemakers were soon taken into custody, and things settled down. Jamie was about to get into Ben’s car when she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, a woman behaving suspiciously with a camera. “That woman’s a paparazzo!” she exclaimed. Ben’s sharp gaze followed hers, and the cold intensity of his
Jamie finished work early to pick up Charlie from school. When Ben found out, he insisted on accompanying her. “I’ll drive you there. It’s Charlie’s first day at school, and I’d like to see how he’s doing.” Jamie hesitated briefly but agreed. After all, Ben was Charlie’s father. It was natural for him to care. The two arrived at the preschool and parked nearby. Though the car was relatively discreet, its sleek design still attracted attention. Most of the children couldn’t help but admire it. “Wow, that car is so cool!” one of the kids exclaimed. Charlie had made a new friend who happened to recognize the brand. The boy pointed at the car and said, “That’s a super expensive car. Even my dad doesn’t have one!” Charlie glanced at it nonchalantly. “That’s my uncle’s car.” His new friend immediately accused him of lying. “No way! You’re making that up.” Charlie patiently explained, but when the other boy refused to believe him, Charlie started getting frustrated.
Charlie blushed deeply and buried his face again, making Jamie chuckle. She couldn’t resist teasing him further. “As a reward for being such a good boy, how about we cook dinner at home tonight? I’ll make something special,” Jamie said cheerfully. To her surprise, Charlie’s first response was, “Will Uncle Ben come too?” Ben turned his gaze to Jamie, his deep, enigmatic eyes sparkling with subtle amusement as he raised an eyebrow. “That depends on your mom.” Two pairs of eyes, eerily similar in their expressions, turned to Jamie simultaneously. Their uncanny resemblance made it almost impossible to refuse. Jamie sighed in defeat. “Alright, come along then. We can stop by the market and pick up some groceries. The more, the merrier.” *The market wasn’t far from their place. Jamie carried Charlie out of the car, and as they shopped, Charlie’s charm was on full display. With his sweet words and knack for making people smile, the vendors couldn’t get enough of him. Eve
Ben’s expression seemed off. Jamie paused subtly, her gaze shifting toward his phone. “What is it? Is it something about the old district?” “No,” Ben replied, setting the phone down quickly to keep her from seeing the screen. After that, he refused to discuss it further. Jamie resisted the urge to press him in front of Charlie, opting to hold her questions until later. Once Charlie had wandered off to play, she seized the moment. “You didn’t seem yourself earlier during dinner. If it’s work-related and there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know,” she offered. After all, she was his secretary now, and it was only natural for her to assist. Jamie brushed aside the faint unease tugging at her and convinced herself it was nothing. But Ben didn’t seem inclined to talk. Rubbing his temples, he stood up. “I’ve stayed long enough. I should head out.” When Jamie moved to see him off, he stopped her. Watching him leave, Jamie didn’t feel the relief she expecte
“I’m going back to the Lucas family home today.” “It might be a misunderstanding. It doesn’t necessarily mean it was your father,” Jamie said cautiously. Ben interrupted her, his expression unnervingly calm. It was the kind of calm that felt dangerous. Jamie could sense a storm brewing, but she didn’t know how to comfort him. In situations like this, no words ever felt right. Fortunately, Ben seemed to notice her unease. His voice softened, just barely, as he said, “So, you’ll need to tell Charlie that I won’t be able to see him for a while.” “I’ll go with you,” Jamie blurted out, surprising even herself. But in the next moment, her resolve solidified. “Charlie can be picked up by the nanny, or we can bring him home first and go afterward. Either way, I’m going with you,” she said firmly. “This is different from last time.” “Exactly. That’s why I need to go with you.” Ben stared at her for a long moment before sighing. Finally, he gave in. *That after
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