Karina questioned herself. “What am I even thinking? Dr. Wilfred has been so kind to me. What does his personal life have to do with me?”For someone as emotionally oblivious as Karina, the realization hit her hard. She was acting out of character. The subtle closeness she had felt toward Wilfred, born of gratitude, now felt awkward and unwarranted. A pang of guilt surged through her, making her want to retreat entirely. Wilfred, noticing her silence, assumed she had concerns. “Why aren’t you saying anything? If you have any reservations, speak up now. We can deal with them together.” He didn’t like leaving issues unresolved, which was why he offered so openly. But how could Karina let him know what was on her mind? Even imagining the look of disdain that might cross Wilfred’s face if he found out made her feel as though she were being ripped apart from the inside. Steeling herself under his questioning gaze, she forced a smile and said casually, “No concerns. Miss Walk
Wilfred’s gaze soon settled on Karina, sharp and probing. “What’s on your mind?” Karina shook her head but hesitated. “I do have some thoughts… but until I meet the patient in person, they’re just ideas. Dr. Wilfred, you’re the one who taught me that.” She lifted her head, her bright eyes unintentionally glowing with determination. Wilfred’s gaze flickered for a moment, as if momentarily dazzled by her intensity. Resting his hands on his knees, he deliberated briefly before saying, “Then pack your things—we’re going.” Karina blinked in surprise, completely caught off guard. His lips curved slightly. “Didn’t you say it’s best not to jump to conclusions without seeing the real person? Well, let’s go meet them.” It was both an exciting and overwhelming surprise—no, more like a shock. Karina didn’t even know where to start. Should she grab sterilized gloves? Instruments? Maybe her notes? In the end, Wilfred took only her notebook, tossing the rest aside. “These aren
The man’s smile faded slightly, and he curled his lips. “You’re quite protective, aren’t you?” Not wasting words, Wilfred brushed past him and entered the facility, with Karina following closely. As they passed, the man leaned in toward Karina and murmured in a low voice, “I just wonder if the one being protected is actually worth it.” Karina stopped in her tracks, glancing back at him as they reached the elevator. He raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised that she turned around. She met his gaze and said evenly, “Why don’t you wait and see?” Ignoring the sudden spark in the man’s eyes, she stepped into the elevator and took a deep breath.Wilfred glanced at her briefly as she lagged behind but said nothing.*The patient’s room was clean and minimalistic. Wearing hospital-issued pajamas, the patient moved about within a severely limited range—about five steps from the bed to the washroom, no more than ten or so in total. The room was shockingly cramped, barely en
Sweat beaded on the researcher’s forehead as he struggled internally, hesitating for what felt like an eternity. In the end, he caved, allowing them to see the patient. As the researcher scurried away, Karina glanced at Wilfred. “Earlier, you mentioned Dr. Carter and Professor Zeller. Who are they?” Wilfred’s response was calm and straightforward. “Harley Carter, the person you just met. A dual specialist in internal and external medicine with years of overseas training. As for Professor Zeller, he’s a towering figure in the medical field. He’s given lectures at prestigious universities.” “Dr. Carter is his last and most esteemed protégé.” Karina’s heart raced. “Are you talking about Tim Zeller? The Professor Zeller?” Wilfred glanced at her, his tone neutral. “That’s him. What, are you a fan?” Realizing her excitement might have been a bit much, Karina hesitated. Given the earlier tension, it seemed like there might be some conflict between Wilfred and the mentor-prot
The young man smiled faintly but then asked, “Do you know how old I am?” Karina paused, caught off guard. Though unsure why he was asking, she played along. “Twenty?” Looking no older than eighteen, she had deliberately guessed a little high. With his rapid cell division slowing his aging, she figured he might appear a couple of years younger than his actual age. But his smile deepened. “I’m thirty-five. I might even be 10 years older than you.” Karina’s eyes widened in shock. He explained that he was the CEO of a publicly traded company. Because he was already in his thirties yet didn’t age, his family was pressuring him to seek treatment. He was also increasingly uneasy about his condition. “I can’t keep living like this forever. What if I end up becoming some kind of monster?” Hearing this left Karina disoriented. She couldn’t believe it. He didn’t look a day over high school age. For the first time, she truly grasped the saying: appearances can be deceiving.
Karina was more than willing to rest. It had been a while since she felt this exhausted, the kind of tiredness that made her want to stay still for days. After grabbing a cup of instant noodles from the cupboard and finishing it off, she took a quick shower and climbed into bed, ready to sleep for as long as her body needed. But just as she was drifting off, loud knocks on her door startled her awake. The banging grew louder and more insistent. At first, she thought it might be a delivery, but when she opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of Kieran sitting in a wheelchair. Instantly alert, her first instinct was to slam the door shut. “Karina, is that it? You see me and don’t even want to say a word?” Kieran’s hand shot out to block the door. He was strong. No matter how hard Karina pushed with all her might, she couldn’t close the door. Her resistance only seemed to fuel his anger. Grabbing her wrist tightly, Kieran said, “I’m here to talk, that’s all. Let m
In the end, Karina decided to call the police.The officers arrived quickly and brought both of them to the station. After understanding the situation, they began by addressing Kieran. “I have a sister too, so I understand your feelings,” one of the officers said. “But your sister is an adult, and you need to respect her decisions. Plus, you’ve caused a significant disturbance for her neighbors, and this qualifies as a public nuisance.”“I’m really sorry, Officer. I got too emotional because my dad is sick, and I wanted to persuade her to come home,” Kieran replied, his tone remarkably convincing. If Karina hadn’t witnessed his other side herself, she might have believed his performance too. The officer then turned to Karina. “Miss, when a parent falls ill, it’s a serious matter. Even if there are issues within the family, the focus should be on resolving them. You can’t avoid it forever.” Karina quickly came up with an excuse. “It’s not that I don’t want to go back, but I
Karina’s expression darkened instantly.Yes, she needed money, and she genuinely wanted to earn it, but she had not fallen to the point of trading her body for cash. She stepped back, keeping her tone polite but firm. “Sir, I’m just a server here. My job is to sell drinks—nothing more.”“Don’t play innocent,” the man sneered, his gaze filled with undisguised contempt. “If you’re working in a place like this, doesn’t that mean you’ll do anything for the right price? Look, I’m not asking for free. If you make us happy tonight, I’ll buy everything on your cart. Don’t believe me? Go ask your manager if he’s heard of Mike Taylor.”Karina forced an awkward smile, grabbing the cart and trying to leave. She had no intention of compromising herself, but she also couldn’t afford to escalate the situation.However, the drunk man, seeing her attempt to walk away, grew angry. He shot to his feet and grabbed her arm, muttering profanities under his breath. “I’m giving you face by choosing you,
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