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
Inside the hotel room, the place was a mess. Nina Walker woke up, her entire body sore and achy. She rubbed her temples, preparing to rise, and glanced at the tall figure lying next to her. His strikingly handsome face boasted sharply defined features and deep-set eyes. He remained sound asleep, showing no signs of waking.Nina sat up, the sheets slipping off, revealing faint marks on her fair, sensual shoulders. She got out of bed, bloodstains clearly visible on the sheets.Glancing at the time, realizing she was almost late for work, she grabbed her scattered professional attire from the floor and changed into it. Her stockings were already torn by him. She balled them up and tossed them into the trash, slipping on her high heels. There was a knock at the door. Nina was already neatly dressed, back in her role as an efficient secretary, holding her purse as she headed out. Entering was a pure-looking beauty. Nina had called her. The type that Nash York liked. Nina said, "You ju
Upon hearing the voice, Nina's face jolted with surprise, nearly stumbling.With her balance faltering, her body leaned towards him. Nash felt her body tilting and reached out to steady her by the waist. The scorching warmth instantly reminded her of the scene from last night when he ravaged her recklessly.Nina composed herself, lifting her head to meet his deep gaze. His eyes were too serious, containing both questioning and doubt, as if trying to see through her with just one look. Nina's heart raced rapidly. She dared not hold his gaze for another second, instinctively lowering her head.When he assumed it was the woman from earlier, he flew into a rage. If he were to discover it was her, her fate wouldn't be any better. Yet, she couldn't accept it. If Nash knew it was her, could their marriage last a little longer? She dared not meet his eyes. "Why would you ask such a thing?" Only she knew she was hoping for it.However, Nash chuckled lightly. "You don't have the courage."
She looked up to see Miranda wearing an apron, holding a ladle. Upon seeing Nina, her smile faltered for a moment, then she warmly greeted, "Are you Sally’s guest? I just made some extra soup. Come in and have a seat." Her demeanor was composed, entirely that of the lady of the house. It was as if Nina was the guest from afar. Indeed, before long, she would become an outsider.Nina frowned, feeling deeply repelled. When she married Nash, Miranda even sent a congratulatory letter. It was impossible for her not to know Nina was Nash's wife. Seeing her standing motionless at the door, Miranda quickly came over and took her hand, "A guest is a guest, don't be shy, come in." As she approached, a faint jasmine scent filled the air, the exact same fragrance of the perfume Nash gave her on her birthday last year. She felt her throat ache, and her breathing became heavy, as if there were a thousand pounds on her feet, making it difficult to move. Sally noticed Nina standing there m
"Nina seems to be in a bad mood today. She didn't want to come to deliver the documents, so I had to come instead," Miranda placed her scalded hand in front of him. "Nash, don't blame Nina. I don't think she did it on purpose. I hope it didn't delay you."It was the first time Nina had done something like this with the company's documents in someone else's hands. Nash's expression was grim, but he restrained himself in front of Miranda. He just adjusted his tie and replied calmly, "It's okay." Changing the subject, he added, "Since you're here, stay for a while."Hearing him say this, Miranda felt a sense of relief. At least he accepted her and didn't dislike her. "Aren't you supposed to have a meeting? Will I disturb you?" Nash made a call, "The meeting is postponed for half an hour." Miranda smiled faintly. Before coming, she had wondered if her departure without notice would make him resentful. It didn't seem as bad as she had imagined. Lost time could be made up for. Sitting
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
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
“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
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
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
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
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
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
Karina stood, but as she took a step, her foot caught on something, and she nearly fell. Before she could hit the ground, Wilfred caught her. The unexpected gesture left Karina more confused than ever. If he was so cold and distant moments ago, why would he help her like this? She wasn’t the only one caught off guard. Wilfred himself was surprised by his reaction. It had been pure instinct. The moment he saw her about to fall, he moved to catch her without a second thought. It was as if his heart acted faster than his words ever could. Before she could ask anything, Wilfred released her quickly, his demeanor detached once more, as if trying to explain away his actions. “Regardless, thank you for earlier.” He hesitated briefly before adding, “Do you have a way to get home? I can drive you if it’s inconvenient.” The warmth Karina felt moments ago instantly turned cold. She forced a bitter smile. “No need. I’ll get home on my own.” She laughed at herself inwardly, a s