Karina barely had time to say anything before Dr. Wilfred turned and left. Although he was the director, Karina had only seen him during meetings and never this close before. Today was the first time. He wore a surgical gown, mask, and cap. Though his face was obscured, his deep, dark eyes held a calm detachment—cool, collected, and unwavering. Throughout the operation, no matter how critical things got, he never showed a hint of panic. His composure and skill radiated excellence. Karina exhaled, her chest tightening slightly. She suddenly understood why so many nurses, interns, and even female doctors in the hospital were infatuated with him. She stretched her stiff muscles and left the operating room. But just as she returned to her office, a colleague showed up at her door. Judging by the badge on her chest, Karina quickly recognized her as an intern. Karina maintained her professional courtesy. “Hello. What can I help you with?” The intern, Sera Quinn, didn’
Hundred thousand dollars felt like a lifeline. But if Dr. Wilfred found out about this, there was no way she would be able to keep her job at the hospital. “Dr. Norman, don’t tell me you want five hundred thousand instead?” Sera pushed, trying every angle to get closer to him. It was clear she had hit a dead end with Wilfred’s assistant and saw Karina as her last option. If Karina got fired because of this, that would be her problem, not Sera’s.Karina’s head throbbed. “Look, I need to deal with something urgent right now. We’ll talk about this tomorrow, okay?”“But you’re going to the director’s office tomorrow, aren’t you?” Sera pressed. “Dr. Norman, we really should settle this now.”Sera’s relentless chatter was interrupted by Karina’s phone ringing again.“Karina… the person who deserves to die the most is you! If it weren’t for you, our family wouldn’t have ended up like this!”The voice on the other end was furious, and all too familiar. Karina felt her scalp prickl
“Head toward the north side of the city. I’ll direct you when we get close,” Karina said.Wilfred didn’t respond, but he quietly pulled up the navigation system. The car smoothly headed in the indicated direction.The north side was an older, run-down part of town, somewhere Wilfred had never been. His time in Birkham was mostly spent at the hospital, with occasional visits to Nash’s place. Even those visits had lessened now that Nash’s life had settled into a comfortable routine. Without Karina’s directions, he wouldn’t have found this area at all.Eventually, Karina pointed to a small, worn-down house, and Wilfred parked in front of it. As soon as the car stopped, the sound of smashing and shouting spilled out from inside.“Whatever we ask for, she can’t provide! I really don’t know why you’re still siding with that wretched girl!“If it weren’t for her, do you think Kieran would be like this today?” “She’s given us enough money already! And for the last time, what happened to
Karina took a deep breath. “I only suggested that trip because it was a simple get-together. No one could have predicted the accident. I’ve spent years trying to make amends, but I have my own life, and I can’t keep being dragged down by this.”The middle-aged man stepped forward, his finger nearly jabbing at Karina’s forehead. “You ungrateful girl! Tara treated you so well, and this is how you repay her?”Karina turned her head to avoid him, her voice calm but firm. “I was devastated by Tara’s death, but I can’t carry guilt that doesn’t belong to me for the rest of my life. I’ve already done more than enough.”The woman began to sob, her voice full of desperation. “Karina, please, just help us one last time. Kieran’s health is so poor. He needs money for treatment.”Karina looked at the woman who had once been her adoptive mother, her emotions a tangled mess. Memories surged through her mind like a rising tide. She remembered her younger self, tiptoeing around the house, fill
Karina’s chest tightened, but she knew that if she caved this time, there would be no end to it. “I have nothing to hide. Say whatever you want. I trust the truth will come out.”Kieran’s face contorted with rage, his eyes burning with humiliation at her defiance. He swung his arm violently, knocking over the table beside him. Cups and plates shattered against the floor, the sharp crash echoing through the cramped room. “Karina! Don’t think you can just walk out of here! I won’t let you get away with this!”The outburst was like a lit match to a powder keg, and several other members of the Stone family quickly joined in, their voices rising with accusations. A burly middle-aged man with a thick neck and a menacing scowl stormed forward, his voice booming, “Karina, you’ve been mooching off this family for years—eating our food, living under our roof. And now you think you can just walk away? Not a chance!” He stormed forward and grabbed Karina roughly by the collar, liftin
After successfully connecting with Wilfred on the messaging app, Karina let out a sigh of relief, but her nerves quickly returned. The next task of getting his photo was even more stressful. One day, while at the hospital's lounge, Karina noticed Wilfred sitting alone, absorbed in reviewing some documents. The area wasn’t crowded, and this seemed like her best opportunity. Summoning her courage, she sat down across from him, pretending to scroll through her phone. In reality, she quietly turned on the front-facing camera, adjusted the angle, and quickly snapped a photo. Luckily, Wilfred remained engrossed in his work and didn’t notice. Karina immediately sent the photo to Sera, who replied enthusiastically, “Dr. Norman, you nailed it! This is what I’m talking about.”However, trouble soon followed. Wilfred messaged Karina, inquiring about the academic discussion she had previously mentioned. Her heart pounded, unsure how to respond. Sensing the growing tension, Sera step
Receiving such a rare opportunity to participate in an international exchange program was not only a strong affirmation of Karina’s professional abilities but also a perfect chance to broaden her horizons and elevate her career. However, Sera who had been scheming with her saw this as another opportunity to escalate her plans. She approached Karina privately, slipping her a small packet of white powder. “Dr. Norman,” she whispered, her voice low and deliberate, “while you’re traveling with the director, find an opportunity to slip this into his drink. Once it’s done, I’ll give you another hundred thousand.” Karina’s eyes widened in horror, and she instinctively shook her head. “No! That’s illegal. I won’t do it.” Sera’s expression darkened, her voice turning cold and sharp. “Don’t forget! You already took my money and agreed to help me.” She leaned in closer, her words dripping with menace. “If you refuse, I’ll expose you. I’ll tell everyone you accepted money and secret
Karina’s heart raced, and she quickly blurted, “Dr. Wilfred, you don’t need to trouble yourself. I can handle the room situation.”Wilfred waved her off with a casual motion. “You’ve had a long day. Get some rest. I’ll take care of it.”Stepping into the room, Karina’s gaze fell on the two twin beds. Her emotions swirled in a complicated mix—gratitude for Wilfred’s kindness and crushing guilt over what she was about to do.She sat down at the edge of one bed, hands twisting nervously in her lap, her thoughts spiraling into a tangled mess.Not long after, Wilfred returned, a hint of exasperation on his otherwise calm face. “No luck. Every nearby hotel is fully booked. We’ll have to make do for tonight. Don’t overthink it. It’s just a special situation.” Karina nodded weakly, her voice barely audible. “Alright, Dr. Wilfred.” While Wilfred disappeared into the bathroom to shower, Karina’s gaze drifted toward the water kettle on the table. Instinctively, her hand slipped into her
When Karina was a child, Mr. and Mrs. Stone barely acknowledged her, and Kieran mostly treated her as a target for pranks. Back then, he was too young for the darker thoughts he would develop later. But even then, his behavior was hard to endure. Some people didn’t become awful as they grew up. They were terrible from the very beginning. At the time, Kieran’s pranks were relentless. Sometimes, he locked her outside on purpose. Other times, he “lost” her homework, leaving her unable to turn it in and getting her punished. Then, when she came home, Mr. Stone would scold her, calling her an embarrassment. “They treated you like that?” Wilfred’s voice was tight with anger. Karina nodded slightly. “When I was a child, I didn’t understand. It wasn’t until I grew up that I realized it was because I wasn’t their biological child.” Wilfred scoffed coldly. “That’s just an excuse. If they never planned to treat you well, why bother bringing you into their home in the first place?”
After Mr. and Mrs. Stone left, the turmoil surrounding the incident didn’t settle down. Although it hadn’t been confirmed whether Karina was responsible, in most people’s eyes, she was already seen as the culprit. Overnight, she became isolated. The only person who treated her the same as before was Wilfred. Whenever gossip started circulating in the hospital, he stepped in to put an end to it, warning the offenders, “This is a hospital for treating patients, not a place for spreading rumors. If you want to gossip, find somewhere else.” Only then did the malicious comments begin to die down. Wilfred returned to his office. Hearing the door, Karina quickly wiped the corners of her eyes before looking up and offering him a smile that appeared no different from her usual one. “Dr. Wilfred, thank you for believing in me.” Wilfred studied her for a moment before saying, “If you don’t feel like smiling, don’t force yourself.” She froze. “You look awful when you fak
Drawn by the commotion, Wilfred was attracted to the scene. His brows furrowed instantly as he took in the chaotic situation.Wilfred strode over to Mrs. Stone and spoke calmly, “Mrs. Stone, please step down from the windowsill. This is far too dangerous. I’m the director of this hospital, and I assure you that we will thoroughly investigate this matter and give you a fair explanation.“If you act impulsively now, it won’t solve the problem. It will only make things worse.” As he spoke, Wilfred subtly signaled to the nearby security guards. Understanding his cue, they inched closer to the windowsill, ready to act at the right moment. Wilfred then turned to face Mr. Stone. “Mr. Stone, pressuring Dr. Karina like this is unreasonable before the matter has been properly investigated. We can’t assign blame based on one-sided claims. It goes against both the law and the principles of fairness.” Mr. Stone scoffed. “Dr. Wilfred, don’t be fooled by that woman. We saw with our own
Karina instinctively wanted to follow, but a nurse stepped forward to block her path. “Dr. Karina, you can’t leave right now. This matter needs to be thoroughly investigated,” the nurse said firmly. “I really didn’t push him! He collapsed on his own. I swear you have to believe me,” Karina pleaded, but the nurse simply shook her head without responding further. At that moment, the hospital security team arrived at the scene. They escorted Karina to an office, where she was instructed to wait for further action. Sitting in a chair, Karina hugged her arms tightly around herself, trembling. It wasn’t long before hospital administrators arrived, their expressions heavy with disapproval. Without any hesitation, they launched into a barrage of harsh reprimands.“Dr. Karina, how could you, as a medical professional, do something like this on hospital grounds? This is a serious violation of our policies and professional ethics!” “No matter what the reason, your actions could
“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