The man who charged forward with the attack was the younger one. Wilfred had momentarily let his guard down, not expecting such a sudden outburst. The wooden stick struck him squarely on the back with a dull thud, causing him to grunt in pain. Karina froze, her mind going blank in shock. She rushed to Wilfred’s side, supporting him as best she could. “Dr. Wilfred, are you okay? Why would you take the hit for me?” Wilfred straightened up, his expression calm despite the obvious pain. Even now, he had the composure to explain. “It wasn’t for you. The attack was meant for me from the start.” He glanced briefly at his back, his gaze darkening. It hurt a lot but he wasn’t an ordinary person. As someone who had endured far worse as Pharaoh’s former test subject, he was accustomed to such pain. That didn’t mean he wasn’t angry. Wilfred turned his icy gaze to the young man who had attacked him, his penetrating eyes enough to make the assailant hesitate for a brief moment.
Seeing the two men gearing up to strike again, Karina instinctively reached for Wilfred, ready to pull him away. A little humiliation was better than getting hurt, she thought.The blow Wilfred had taken earlier still made her heart pound with fear just thinking about it. She couldn’t imagine the state of his back now. It was likely bruised and swollen but there was no time to sit down and check. Without hesitation, Karina reached out and grabbed Wilfred’s hand. His wide, warm palm enveloped hers, though she didn’t seem to notice. “Dr. Wilfred, let’s go. The police will handle this when they arrive,” she urged, tugging him gently. Karina didn’t pay attention to the moment, but Wilfred did. Her hand felt so small, so delicate in his, as if he could completely enclose it with just a slight movement. A strange warmth crept into his chest, unsettling him. He pulled his hand free, his voice calm but firm. “There’s no need.” Before Karina could argue, the sound of sirens p
Wilfred’s back was smooth and unblemished, his skin noticeably fairer than most, making the bruises stand out starkly. However, Karina wasn’t distracted and her entire focus was on carefully applying the medication. But for Wilfred, maintaining his composure was far more challenging.The warmth of her breath and the faint tremble of her fingertips felt like a persistent feather brushing over his senses, teasing his composure. For the first time, Wilfred realized just how sensitive his back was, and the discovery filled him with regret. His fists clenched as he silently endured. Suddenly, Karina leaned closer and gently blew on the bruised area. “Does it hurt? I’ll blow on it to make it better.” His entire body stiffened, and in one swift motion, he grabbed his shirt and shrugged it back on, quickly pulling his lab coat over it. His voice came low and firm. “That’s enough. No need for anything else.” Karina froze, her eyes darting around the empty office. It was just t
Karina was startled and quickly grabbed Wilfred's hand, rummaging through her bag for a wet wipe. “How did this happen? Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”Wilfred gently brushed her hand aside, his cool demeanor and tired expression softened under the streetlight. “It’s nothing. Just a small injury. It’ll heal on its own.”“That’s not okay!” Karina shot back, ignoring his resistance as she took his hand and cleaned the wound with the wet wipe. She then pulled out a bandage, her movements precise yet tender.Wilfred watched her in silence, his gaze inscrutable. For a fleeting moment, something flickered in his eyes, as if his thoughts were both present and absent at the same time. Beneath the cold glow of the streetlamp, the air seemed to soften. Wilfred let himself linger in the moment, indulging in the rare warmth of being cared for.*The next day, they confronted Dr. Kerr, a prominent figure in organ transplantation. Dr. Kerr had narrowly lost the hospital's directorial po
Dr. Kerr was quickly taken into custody for investigation, and the truth emerged not long after. What happened to the girl was no accident. He had secretly swapped the liver source.The originally matched donor liver had been replaced, leading to the rejection that ultimately cost the patient her life. Following the revelation, the hospital paid a substantial settlement for Dr. Kerr's actions, though no amount of money could ease the pain of the grieving family. A life lost was irreplaceable.For Karina and Wilfred, the outcome was bittersweet. They felt the sorrow of the situation but could do little more than reflect on it. After Wilfred's name was cleared, he followed through on his promise to Karina. He assigned her to an important research project, one of the hospital's most significant undertakings. The decision was met with resistance.Many colleagues believed Karina was too young and inexperienced for the role. But Wilfred stood firm, defending her. “I chose her. If th
“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
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
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
But instead of feeling touched, Vera’s first reaction was nausea. A wave of discomfort surged up from her stomach, and Vera’s face paled. She bolted for the bathroom. Caleb followed quickly. “Are you feeling sick?” “I don’t think so. I’ve been eating normally—nothing too heavy or weird lately.” Vera clutched her stomach, just as confused as he was. Then, a possibility flashed through her mind. Caleb clearly had the same thought. Without a word, he turned and walked into their bedroom, returning moments later with a pregnancy test. Vera looked at him, stunned. “When did you buy that?” He responded matter-of-factly, “Better safe than sorry.” Vera was momentarily speechless. Five minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. It was positive. They had only been married for three months. How did this happen so fast?Caleb, on the other hand, remained composed—at le
Of course, Vera wasn’t about to dump all her responsibilities on her assistant. That would be exploitation. She called her assistant into her office. “You’re twenty-five this year, right?” Her assistant blinked, confused. Wasn’t her age common knowledge? Why was Vera suddenly bringing it up? A thought struck her. Was this an arranged marriage situation? Her face immediately filled with silent refusal. “Miss Vera, I’m still young. I’m not thinking about marriage anytime soon.” Vera tapped her pen against the desk. “I’m not telling you to get married.” “Oh.” “I just want to offload some of the smaller daily tasks to you. You don’t have to run every minor document by me.”Her assistant instantly understood. A raise. After confirming she was on board, Vera gave her a salary bump and had her hire a few more assistants to distribute the workload. “If I don’t have time to handle everything, you guys will take care of it. If something’s too complicated, jus
Vera could sense danger the moment the conversation turned in this direction. Her father had never questioned her about married life, and she was lucky enough to avoid nosy relatives. But just because she hadn’t experienced it firsthand didn’t mean she hadn’t seen it happen to others. Without hesitation, she abandoned the half-folded pastry in her hands. “I... uh, need to use the restroom.” Before she could escape, Mrs. Smith caught her wrist. “You and Caleb aren’t getting any younger,” she said matter-of-factly. “You should start thinking about kids—make sure you’re putting in the effort, hmm?” Vera left the kitchen visibly drained. Mrs. Smith was a wonderful mother-in-law, the kind who treated Vera like her own daughter. Despite knowing Vera came from a well-off family, she had still gifted them a house as a wedding present. Of course, Caleb already owned a place, but his mother had insisted. “That’s your house. This is the home I’m giving you as a weddi
That undeniable possessiveness flickered in Caleb’s gaze—subtle yet impossible to ignore. It was the kind of look a powerful man might give his beloved in an old Hollywood film. And right now, the photographer felt like the unlucky bystander who had accidentally stumbled upon an intimate scene. His voice wavered slightly, caught up in his own imagination. “Mr. Smith, lift your eyes toward the camera.” Caleb’s sharp gaze flickered over, intense and commanding. The photographer instinctively pressed the shutter. They continued with several more poses, reviewing the shots as they went. Vera loved them all, but her favorite was still the vintage-inspired one. “How long until we get the final prints?” she asked. “Two to three days at most,” the photographer replied. “I’ll have them shipped directly to you.” Then, after a slight pause, he hesitated before making a request. “I actually have a personal favor to ask—would you both be open to letting us displa
Vera was tempted. They had already taken plenty of wedding photos—several sets at the island, more at the wedding itself. But this wasn’t just any photo studio. It was privately booked and known for being one of the most prestigious studios in the city. Appointments here were nearly impossible to get. The fact that Caleb had managed to secure a session meant he had gone to great lengths to make it happen. If they were just going to take ordinary wedding pictures, it would be a waste of an opportunity. Still, she wasn’t sure what kind of shoot she wanted. The photographer, understanding her hesitation, pulled out a sample album. “You can take a look at our past work. These are some of the styles we’ve done.” Flipping through the pages, Vera saw an array of stunning concepts—each picture more breathtaking than the last. Then, one particular set caught her eye. A Golden Age Hollywood theme.It was classic, nostalgic, and beautifully atmospheric. “Ca
After the wedding, Vera considered taking some time off for a honeymoon. But the thought quickly faded when she realized Caleb had been practically living at the hospital. With a sigh, she dismissed the idea. She was used to it, but to say she wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. Her assistant picked up on it. “Mrs. Smith, don’t you want to go on a honeymoon?” she asked one day. “One of my friends just got married, and she’s been obsessively researching destinations. “She even said a marriage without a honeymoon is already half a failure.” Vera froze mid-page, suddenly losing interest in the documents she had been reviewing. Her assistant hesitated, then offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you go visit Dr. Smith at work?“You seem… distracted. Maybe seeing him will help.” Vera snapped out of her daze, suddenly aware of how preoccupied she had been lately. It was embarrassing to admit, but she had been zoning out far too often—especially after coming hom
Whenever they did this in the past, Caleb always maintained some restraint. But tonight—he didn’t hold back at all. He took her from the bedroom to the bathroom, then back to the bed, his searing kisses trailing every inch of her skin. The next morning, even as she woke up, Vera could still feel the lingering traces of last night’s intoxicating pleasure. As expected, she ended up taking the day off. It wasn’t until two days later that she finally returned to work. *Everyone at the company had already prepared for this. The moment Vera walked into the office, she was greeted with knowing smiles and teasing remarks. “Congratulations, Mrs. Smith!” “Newlywed bliss, huh?” “Three whole days off? Someone had a good time.” It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she had been up to. Obviously, her married life was going exceptionally well—so well that she had completely abandoned work for it. Under the weight of their mischievous stares, Vera barely k
Yelena still hadn’t accepted Hunter, but he wasn’t giving up either and was relentlessly closing in on her. Knowing Yelena’s soft heart, Vera figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in. She let out a sigh. Her friend’s love life wasn’t something she could interfere with. Besides, Caleb had already given her a little inside scoop. “She came to the hospital for a follow-up a few days ago,” he had mentioned casually. “Hunter was the one who brought her.” Vera had clicked her tongue at the news. Yelena always seemed quiet and reserved, but apparently, she was full of surprises.*Time flew by in the blink of an eye.By mid-month, Caleb had rented out an entire vineyard and spent several days transforming it into the perfect wedding venue.When the day arrived, the celebration took place right there.The vineyard was sprawling and elegant, every bit as grand as any luxury hotel—if not better. Even the wine cellar remained untouched, stocked with years-
“Did you plan this from the start?” Vera narrowed her eyes, feeling like she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. “Mm.” Caleb smiled, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Because yes—he had always been planning this. The biggest change in Vera’s life after the island proposal was the ring now sitting on her finger. It wasn’t just any ring. It was custom-made, something Caleb had specially ordered. She only found out by accident when she glanced at his phone one day and saw the purchase record. It had been ordered two months ago. Vera did the math and was stunned. He had been preparing for this long before she even started getting impatient. Her heart swelled with emotion. And as soon as Caleb’s parents heard that their son had finally proposed, they wasted no time pushing them to get the marriage license. *One day, Vera overheard Caleb’s mother lecturing him. “Your dad and I weren’t expecting much from you. With how much ti