Karina nodded to the caretaker to signal she understood. After the caretaker left, she approached Dylan’s desk. Squatting down to his level, she looked at Dylan, who was fully absorbed in his block puzzle. “I know how to put this together. Would you like me to teach you?” Dylan paused for a moment. Karina pretended not to notice. “It’s tricky, isn’t it? And it seems like this block is part of a set. Are there more pieces somewhere?” Dylan glanced at her, and Karina initially thought he would ignore her entirely. To her surprise, he responded. “Yes, there are… in the room.” The sentence was short, but it was enough to make Karina’s heart soar. Communication—even this little bit—meant there was hope. She followed him to his room to retrieve the rest of the blocks, and the two of them spent the entire afternoon building together. *Partway through, a caretaker brought in a meal, placing it on the table nearby. But Dylan barely glanced at the food, even as his s
The director was overjoyed. “This is all thanks to you, Miss Norman!” Karina waved it off humbly, taking a sip of water just as the aroma of lunch wafted in from outside. It was the children’s mealtime, and she had smelled it before many times. But this time, the scent made her stomach churn violently. Suddenly, she bolted toward the trash can, dry heaving a few times. The director rushed to her side, alarmed. “Miss Norman, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?” Karina started to respond but froze mid-thought. Her mind wandered to her menstrual cycle—wasn’t it late this month? As the idea crossed her mind, she instinctively placed a hand on her lower abdomen. Her period was always punctual, rarely delayed unless something unusual was happening. But this time… “Miss Norman, if you’re really not feeling well, maybe you should go to the hospital for a check-up,” the director said, snapping Karina out of her thoughts. She shook her head, assuring the director tha
Karina gasped, urging Wilfred to put her down immediately. Only then did he regain some composure. “Sorry, I forgot about your condition,” he said, visibly annoyed with himself for being so careless. Karina, however, didn’t seem too bothered. Although the first trimester required extra caution, it wasn’t as though being picked up was entirely off-limits. It just meant she needed to be more careful. After basking in their shared excitement, Karina suddenly thought of the orphanage. Her expression turned hesitant. “But now, in my condition… what about the orphanage?” Wilfred looked up at her. “Do you still want to go?” “Of course I do!” Karina replied without hesitation. The renovations weren’t complete, and she couldn’t just abandon the autistic boy she had been helping. She had put in so much effort. How could she give up halfway? But she was worried Wilfred might object. While he was silent, Karina started piecing together arguments to convince him, preparing t
At that moment, the smile froze on Karina’s face. “Kieran?” she said, disbelief etched into her voice as she stared at the man in the wheelchair. It was really Kieran Stone! Karina couldn’t even remember how long it had been since she had last seen him. If Kieran hadn’t appeared here today, she might have gone the rest of her life without thinking about him again. After all, that part of her past was too painful and tormenting to revisit. Kieran wheeled himself closer, as if to say something, but before he could, a sleek black car pulled up in front of Karina. The window rolled down, revealing Wilfred inside. Wilfred’s gaze briefly flicked to Kieran but didn’t linger. His focus was entirely on Karina. His voice was soft and gentle as he said, “Get in. Let’s go home.” Karina wasn’t surprised to see Wilfred. He had already mentioned over the phone that he was nearby. She cast one last glance at Kieran behind her. “You seem to be doing better now—clean, I assume,” she
The car came to a stop outside the Stone family home. Karina took a deep breath, unable to suppress the nervousness that crept up on her. Her anxiety peaked when Mrs. Stone opened the door. “It’s you?” Mrs. Stone’s expression twisted with displeasure, and without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away. Voices drifted from inside—it sounded like Mr. Stone was asking who had come. The conversation abruptly stopped as Karina stepped inside. Mr. Stone sat cross-legged on the sofa, his expression dark and unwelcoming. “Hmph, you’ve been gone so long, I thought you’d died somewhere out there. That would’ve been better—at least then you wouldn’t be back here to annoy us.” Mrs. Stone chimed in, her tone equally harsh. “Exactly! After everything you did to ruin us, just look at the state of this house now. We’ve been reduced to nothing!“If people didn’t know better, they’d think we were your sworn enemies in a past life instead of your foster parents!” Their wo
Whenever Kieran’s sister was mentioned, the entire Stone family would fall into an unspoken silence. Even now, her name was barely uttered. Karina picked at her food during the meal, barely eating, her thoughts miles away. Afterward, she stepped outside with a small bundle of flowers and a candle, placing them on the stone marker in the yard—a quiet tribute. As she lit the candle, someone crouched down beside her. “Let me help,” came a familiar voice. She didn’t need to look up to recognize it—it was Kieran. “About what happened back then…” Karina started, her voice tinged with hesitation. But Kieran interrupted, as if he already knew what she wanted to say. “Let the past stay in the past. I won’t bring it up, and neither should you.” He stared at the flickering candlelight, his tone quiet but firm. “When I was in rehab, I had a lot of time to think. Things weren’t supposed to end up this way.” Who was at fault for how it all turned out? Himself, their parents,
Karina anxiously watched the stairwell, her heart pounding. Finally, she saw the firefighters carrying people down on their backs. But the situation looked grim. “Get them to emergency care immediately!” one firefighter shouted. “The two middle-aged adults are unconscious from severe smoke inhalation and are in critical condition! The son appears to be relatively unharmed.”Thankfully, an ambulance was already on standby. Hearing the firefighter’s report, the nurses rushed out with stretchers, loading the family into the vehicle. When the ambulance was about to depart, Karina and Wilfred identified themselves as doctors and climbed aboard to assist. *Once they arrived at the hospital, Karina’s hands trembled as she changed into her white coat. She had performed countless surgeries before, but this was the first time she would face operating on someone she had a personal connection with. The thought sent a chill through her body. A colleague passing by noticed her and
Kieran’s reason for attempting suicide was guilt. He felt it was the only way to atone for his mistakes. Combined with his disability, he believed he had no reason to live anymore. Karina couldn’t hold back her frustration. “You want to end your life because of this? Do you know what I went through? Back then, I worked eight different jobs, trying to stretch twenty-four hours into forty-eight just to make ends meet! “I couldn’t save up any money, and when I got sick, I couldn’t even afford to see a doctor. But I never once thought about giving up! So what right do you have to give up? Wake up!” After venting her anger, Karina felt a sense of relief, while Kieran sat stunned, speechless. His so-called "atonement"—dragging his parents along in a selfish act of escape—wasn’t truly an act of redemption. It was just another form of avoidance. “If you really feel guilty about what you’ve done to me, then live,” Karina continued, her voice calm but firm. “I don’t need you to do
“I only had one surgery today,” Caleb said as he drove, his voice calm but firm. “Now that it’s done, I want to know why this happened.” After that, he said nothing more. Vera sat in silence, her heart uneasy as the car pulled up in front of an upscale club. Even though her hand was already bandaged, she still felt a sting of pain every time Caleb showed concern. “So this is what it feels like to have someone care,” she thought to herself.Back when Vera had been stepped on, her only concern had been the contract—whether the deal would fall apart and if her suffering had been for nothing.If it had been anything else, she probably wouldn’t have cared as much.But Caleb’s concern made it impossible for her to brush aside.It kept lingering in her mind, refusing to let her feel indifferent.“Don’t overthink it,” Caleb said, his voice firm. “Whatever happened between Luna and me doesn’t change the fact that this concerns me too—and I owe it to you to make things right.”
“Oh? So this is the apology you wanted?” Vera’s forehead was covered in cold sweat from the pain, but the two women standing over her barely reacted. As if this was normal to them. As if humiliating her was just another game. “I asked you a question.” Vera remained half-crouched on the ground, her hand still pinned under Luna’s heel. Helena smirked. “Yeah, I’d say that’s good enough.” She hadn’t expected Vera to be this stubborn, but it didn’t matter. With an exaggerated sigh, she casually scribbled her signature onto the contract. The deal was officially secured. Vera didn’t waste another second. She cast one last glance at the two women. “I have no interest in getting involved in your personal drama. As for Caleb and me, that’s between us. We both made our choices.” Luna’s expression twisted slightly. “I won’t bother commenting on your relationship,” she said, voice dripping with disdain. “But don’t think for a second that this will ever earn
The moment Vera heard her assistant’s words, her expression darkened. Her previously calm tone turned firm. “If that’s the case, I understand. But I still have to go. This is my responsibility, and no one else can handle it.” If she didn’t take the lead, the other party would only grow bolder. However, the moment she glanced at the name on the negotiation list, she couldn’t help but frown. Because the person she was supposed to meet wasn’t just anyone. It was Helena Xander. Vera had encountered her before—back when her relationship with Caleb hadn’t yet escalated. Even then, Helena had openly mocked her, saying that since Caleb had been Luna’s devoted lapdog for years, he should know his place and never overstep. She had also thrown a few sharp words at Vera, telling her to recognize her own status—as if warning her that getting involved would only bring trouble. Back then, Vera hadn’t taken it seriously. She never thought she would cross paths with the
“Alright, enough of this. If you’re serious about investigating, you’ll need proper psychological evaluations,” Caleb said nonchalantly.“The best way to assess something like this is through clinical observation—watch for behavioral inconsistencies, memory gaps, or personality shifts. If you can, gather video footage of his daily life. That’s the only way to get a clearer picture. Otherwise, it’s just speculation.”Caleb made the remark casually, then swiftly issued a dismissal.“You came all the way here just to mess with me? What about your own situation? How’s that going?” Caleb’s sarcasm was dry and pointed. Hunter let out a long sigh. “What else could it be? Business as usual. Compared to others, I’m probably the only one with enough patience for this mess.” He was, of course, referring to his ongoing battle with Liam. Caleb gave him a small nod. “Alright, you should get going now. I need to rest. Don’t loiter around here.” Without hesitation, he waved his hand
Vera forced an awkward smile at Hunter before quickly retreating back into the bathroom to change. Hunter, watching her leave, couldn't help but smirk. “You’re really living the good life, huh?” he teased. “Didn’t expect you to have such luck.” Caleb rolled his eyes, clearly uninterested. “Enough with the nonsense. Why are you here? And who exactly were you talking about over the phone?” He didn’t want to entertain pointless banter, especially not about women. If he was being honest, even he couldn’t fully explain his feelings toward Luna. He wasn’t sure what was left between them—was it love, or just the remnants of something that had long turned sour? That pitiful look in her eyes earlier had shaken him. For a fleeting moment, he had wanted to pull her into his arms, to comfort her like he used to. But after so many years of being humiliated and pushed aside, he had forgotten how to even speak to her anymore. So instead, he did what was easiest—he change
Hunter spoke casually, his tone light. “Just someone, that’s all. Do you really need all these details?” Caleb was now certain of his suspicion. “Hunter, did you forget what I do for a living? I’m a doctor. If you’re asking me about this, I need to get a clear picture before I can give you an answer.” Hunter exhaled lightly. “That’s fair, but some things can’t be diagnosed right away.” Based on the information Yelena provided earlier, Hunter was only speculating about Liam. But Caleb was an expert in this area, so he specifically called to ask him.Still, explaining everything over the phone wasn’t going to work. “Forget it,” Hunter said. “This isn’t something I can explain over a call. Where are you? I’ll come over.” Caleb hesitated for a moment before glancing at Vera, who was still beside him. In the end, he gave Hunter the address to his villa. Hunter chuckled. “Haha. I’m surprised. You actually do go home to rest.” Caleb ignored the jab and tossed his p
“Call me Liam.” Before Yelena could finish speaking, Liam cut her off with a sharp, angry voice. She quickly nodded and corrected herself. “Liam, don’t worry. I’ll do exactly as you say. I’ll be good. I won’t make you angry again.” But Liam didn’t care. With a violent shove, he threw her to the ground. Yelena barely had time to brace herself before hitting the cold floor hard, pain radiating through her limbs. Liam, however, just looked down at her with a twisted grin, laughing like she was nothing more than a ridiculous joke. “You’d better learn fast,” he sneered. “And leave your hand broken for a few days—feel the pain properly.” “Alright.” Her voice was quiet, submissive. But Liam wasn’t listening. Without another glance, he turned and walked away. As she watched his retreating figure, Yelena felt a deep sense of dread rise in her throat. Liam wasn’t human. He was something far worse. Her future with him would be nothing short of hell.
Yelena had made her stance clear—her loyalty was with Hunter. But instead of being convinced, Hunter let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “You sure your loyalty is to me? Or is it just to money?” His words hit like a slap. Yelena stiffened, feeling the sting of humiliation. It was true. When she had been desperate, with nowhere left to turn, she had thrown herself at Hunter, begging him for help. If she had any other choice, if she hadn’t been pushed into a corner, she would have never given up her pride like that. Lowering her gaze, she spoke with measured calmness. “Mr. Hall, you gave me two hundred thousand dollars. You helped me when no one else did. That makes you my benefactor. And loyalty to one’s benefactor… that’s only right.” She didn’t dare meet his eyes, but her voice was firm. Hunter studied her for a moment before scoffing. “Enough with the useless talk.” His voice was cold and dismissive. “Just go back to Liam’s side and do what you’re suppose
Yelena needed to tell Hunter about this. But before she could finish, Hunter’s cold voice cut through her thoughts. She lowered her head. “This is just how I normally dress. I didn’t deliberately choose my outfit to seduce you, Mr. Hunter. Besides, your brother isn’t even interested in me.” She hesitated before adding, “That two hundred thousand…” Hunter narrowed his eyes. “What are you trying to say?” Seeing his growing impatience, Yelena clenched her fists, still looking down. “I mean exactly what I said. Any normal man wouldn’t turn down a woman who willingly throws herself at him. That night, Liam clearly said he would take me somewhere else… but when we got there, he never touched me. Ever since then, he treats me like I don’t even exist—like I’m nothing but air.” Hunter’s expression darkened instantly. “Are you implying something?” The implication in Yelena’s words was clear. She had just suggested that any normal man wouldn’t refuse a willing woman.