Yvette’s expression lit up with the thrill of gossip. “Who are we talking about? Is it Dr. Wilfred?” “It’s about a friend,” Karina lied smoothly, her face betraying nothing. Yvette’s face immediately screamed, “Yeah, right.”“Come on, at least come up with a better excuse. That ‘it’s for a friend’ line is so overused it’s practically expired,” she teased, before shifting gears. “Alright, spill the details. And don’t leave anything out. I want to know everything. Not just for gossip but to help you figure things out.” With no other choice, Karina recounted Wilfred’s hot-and-cold behavior toward her. After hearing the story, Yvette leaned back with a sharp hiss, as if processing something heavy. “I think your, uh, friend’s boyfriend might just have something he’s keeping to himself. Maybe there’s a reason he doesn’t want her to know.” Karina’s brows furrowed slightly. “Think about it,” Yvette continued. “If he really didn’t care, would he have been so quick to catch he
Instead of heading out to eat, Wilfred decided to head home. It was the weekend, and with Mrs. Santos off-duty, they could cook for themselves. The fridge had just enough ingredients left for a proper meal. Karina pulled out an unopened carton of cream and called toward the living room, “Do you like cream of mushroom soup?” A response came from Wilfred, and with his approval, she got to work preparing the ingredients. The dishes she planned weren’t particularly complicated, so in no time, the table was filled with food. After all the bustling in the kitchen, Karina almost forgot the reason she had come in the first place. But seeing Wilfred pick up his utensils brought her back to her thoughts. “I wanted to ask you about your sleepwalking last night. Mrs. Santos said it happens often,” she said, her tone filled with concern. Karina had known Wilfred for quite a while now, and their relationship was fairly close. Yet she had never heard about his sleepwalking, not from hi
Karina couldn’t reconcile the composed, confident, and highly skilled Wilfred she knew with the idea of him as a slave. Her lips trembled as though she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. Wilfred noticed the shock in her expression and let out a faint, bitter smile before continuing. “In that dark, endless hell, I was subjected to all kinds of drug experiments every day. My body and mind were pushed to the brink, treated as nothing more than a tool. My life and death were entirely in their hands.” A sharp pang shot through Karina’s chest as she listened. She couldn’t begin to imagine the suffering Wilfred had endured. “How did you escape?” she managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. Wilfred’s gaze grew distant, his eyes clouded with memories. “There was a rare moment of carelessness during a transfer. I seized the opportunity with everything I had left and escaped. After that, I hid my identity, pouring all my effort into studying medici
Leonard, a cheerful and outgoing young man, worked skillfully at the machine while apologizing profusely. “Sorry about this. I don’t know what’s up with this machine today. It’s being a bit temperamental. I hope it’s not causing too much trouble for you.”Karina smiled back warmly. “It’s no problem at all.”As Leonard glanced up at Karina and Wilfred, he couldn’t help but comment, “You two look great together! Are you on a date?”Karina’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she opened her mouth to clarify, but Wilfred cut in first. “Thank you. It’s a rare day off, so I thought I’d take her out to relax.”Startled, Karina glanced at him in surprise, but the unexpected sweetness of his words brought a quiet warmth to her heart.Leonard grinned knowingly. “This movie’s been super popular lately. Lots of couples have been coming to watch it. You’re lucky to have snagged tickets—later in the day, it’s almost impossible to get seats.”Wilfred nodded politely. “Is that so? Then I suppose we’re
Wilfred snapped out of his thoughts, meeting Karina’s eager gaze. Without hesitation, he nodded. “Sure, as long as it’s something you’ll enjoy.”The two of them arrived at an escape room venue, where the receptionist greeted them warmly.Karina asked curiously, “Hi, we’d like to play an escape room. What themes do you have?”The receptionist smiled and began explaining, “We have a horror-themed ‘Midnight Fright,’ an adventure-themed ‘Lost Tomb,’ and a mystery-themed ‘Misty Manor.’ Each has its own level of difficulty and style.”Wilfred looked at Karina. She thought for a moment before saying, “Let’s try ‘Lost Tomb.’ It sounds mysterious and fun.”The receptionist nodded. “This theme is very popular, but it’s also quite challenging. Are you sure?”Wilfred replied confidently, “No problem. We’ll go with this one.”“All right,” the receptionist continued. “The ticket price for this theme is $30 per person. If you complete it within the time limit, you’ll even get a special gift fr
“Be careful,” Wilfred whispered, his voice carrying a barely noticeable tremor. Karina leaned into his embrace and said softly, “Thank you. I was too careless.”They proceeded cautiously down the corridor and arrived at a room filled with ancient books and peculiar instruments. Curious, Karina picked up a dusty old book. As soon as she opened it, the faint sound of gears turning echoed in the room. Slowly, a stone table emerged from the center of the floor, revealing a complex puzzle box resting on top.Karina studied the puzzle box carefully, noticing that each piece was engraved with unique symbols and patterns. She tried fitting a few pieces together but couldn’t make sense of it. Meanwhile, Wilfred searched the room for other clues and discovered an ancient mural in one corner. The mural depicted several figures gathered around a similar-looking box, seemingly performing some kind of ritual. He examined the gestures and expressions of the figures in the mural and suddenly
Karina sensed the girl’s unfriendly gaze and instinctively moved closer to Wilfred. Without a word, Wilfred casually placed a hand on her shoulder, a subtle but protective gesture. The girl’s jealousy flared even stronger at the sight. Forcing a strained smile, she turned to Karina and asked, “And who might this be?”Wilfred answered before Karina could speak. “This is Karina, my… friend.” As he spoke, he glanced at Karina, a trace of warmth flickering in his gaze, unnoticed by anyone but her. The girl let out a faint scoff. “A friend, huh? Dr. Wilfred, you’re always so busy with work. It’s rare for you to take time off, yet you didn’t think to invite me? I thought we were close. After all, you took such good care of me when I was your patient.”Her voice was laced with grievance and subtle reproach. Wilfred frowned slightly. His tone remained polite but distant. “It’s good that you’ve recovered. Taking time off is just for relaxation. I didn’t give it much thought.”Though
Her eyes turned redder, tears stubbornly welling up as if refusing to fall. Karina, watching the girl’s pained struggle, felt a pang of sympathy. She was about to say something to console her when Wilfred gently pulled her behind him, shielding her once more.His gaze remained cold, but his tone carried an unmistakable impatience. “That’s enough. This ends here. Don’t come bothering us again.”The girl froze as if struck by his blunt and merciless words. Her body trembled, and at last, the tears spilled over, rolling down her cheeks and hitting the ground in heavy drops. She opened her mouth, managing to squeeze out a broken, choked whisper: “I… I just…” But the rest of her words were swallowed by the overwhelming tide of her emotions, dissolving into silence.Wilfred frowned slightly but didn’t respond further. He simply took Karina’s hand and turned to leave. Just as they were about to walk away, the girl suddenly shouted hysterically, “Wilfred, I’ve liked you for so long! E
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