Nina could not help but wonder why she had never heard him bring it up before. Maybe because there was always an unspoken agreement between Nash and Nina not to pry too much into each other's business. It was just a matter of mutual respect. Besides, he probably could not fully disclose everything. She quickly averted her gaze. Out of the blue, someone chimed in to ease the tension, saying, "Mr. George, we get where you're coming from. We're not here to gossip. It's just that the truth is evident. Even Vice Commander Frank is also feeling indignant on your behalf. After all, you're our elder, and you haven't been in the know for long, right? Honestly, it looks like Nash doesn't have much respect for you." Nina felt like these folks were really going after Nash. She looked at Nash again, noticing his silence. Knowing him, he typically would not tolerate such gossip in his presence. It seemed like he was likely concerned about Grandpa George's dignity, especially since these were als
"Nina, this drink is for you." At the same time, Frank handed a glass of wine to Nina. Nash wrapped an arm around her shoulder and took the glass from Frank's hand. "She's allergic to alcohol, so I'll drink on her behalf."Nash quickly downed the drink in his hand. Others chimed in, "Wow! Look at Nash here. Back in the camp, he was tough as nails, always ready to face any challenge. Now, all soft-hearted for his sweet wife. Ah, the iron-blooded man has gone tender!""You bet.""Nash, since you've introduced her to all of us, when are you planning to have a proper wedding ceremony? You two haven't had one yet, right? When the time comes, I'll give you a big wedding gift. We'll come to toast to your happiness!"Nina watched as they laughed. She could tell that despite some initial discontent towards Nash, Grandpa George's words had smoothed things over. Some of these people were genuinely caring.She maintained her smile throughout. Nash's lips curved slowly as he spoke, "I'll mak
Eve walked directly to Nash's side. "Previously at Zoe's party, we did not get a chance to talk properly before you left. You're staying for a few more days this time, right?" She took Nash's arm, leaving Nina behind.She did not act like this at the banquet. Back then, she did not know what kind of person Nina was. Plus, she had promised Zoe to help Nash out. She had treated Nash like a real brother for years and was willing to assist him. Now that Nash had a wife, she should treat her as a sister-in-law, but she just could not warm up to Nina.She had heard from friends that Nina was a tough character. At work, she used her position to oppress others, and she was even arrogant about it! She heard that Nash's mother did not like her. She did not know Nash was married, but thinking about facing such a formidable sister-in-law in the future, she did not want to be mistreated. If they got divorced, that would be even better."I can't stay for long," Nash pushed Eve's hand away gentl
She immediately nestled into Grandpa George's embrace, seeking comfort. Grandpa George held her face, examining it carefully. It was just a minor cut, nothing serious. "The wound is small, you'll be fine, Eve. Don't cry in front of so many people.""Grandpa," Eve sniffled, "You have to stand up for me."Before Grandpa George could respond, Frank spoke up, "Eve is injured. From childhood to now, Mr. George has never let her suffer. Anyone who dares to bully her, I won't let them off!"Nina glanced at Frank, who was quite robust. If he really got physical, she would be nothing. She felt a shiver run down her spine instinctively. However, Nash held her hand and looked at Frank coldly. "Do you think there's no one who will stand up for Nina?"Nina glanced at Nash, somewhat surprised. No matter what others said about him, he always remained silent, never once retorting. But whenever she was bullied, he would stand up for her without hesitation, no matter who the offender was.Frank a
Without further ado, Nina did not say anything more and agreed with Grandpa's wise words. It was easy to hurt others, but it often backfired. "I'm sorry, Nina," Eve apologized."It's okay, I forgive you!" Nina responded graciously.Grandpa George was satisfied with how things turned out. At least Eve had not made a big mistake this time. "Knowing your mistake is good. What's important is that you don't repeat it. That's what makes a respectable person. No more of these antics in the future," he instructed.Eve obediently promised, "Got it, Grandpa. I'll make sure to get along well with Nina from now on." With that, she linked arms with Nina, wanting to assure Grandpa that she and Nina got along and that such incidents would not happen again.Seeing this, Grandpa George smiled. "Good, keep in touch with her."Nina felt a bit uncomfortable with Eve's sudden warmth. Such sudden affection must have an ulterior motive. Fortunately, Eve did not have any ulterior motives. She was just
Nash walked over and joined her in the breeze, his tone casual as he said, "I've gotten used to it. There's no point in trying to change things now. It's all the same."All the same? What did he mean by that? Nina thought she knew him well, but she realized there were still many secrets about him. She observed his side profile intently and inquired, "Did they treat you like this before? Isolated you?"But why, though?It was evident that these people were older than Nash. They dote on Eve so much, why couldn't they be more understanding toward Nash? He must have been very young when he was in the military.Nash replied, "I rarely meet with them anymore, so you don't need to worry too much.""You've never told me about your time in the military."Nash glanced at Nina. "I spent some time in the military, but it wasn't official. At that time, nobody cared, and Grandpa George took me in."Nina was surprised. "Why? Didn't your family take care of you?"Nash shrugged it off. "They
"Eve, thank you so much for being so kind to me," the person expressed gratitude. "I'm sorry you had to endure this.""You don't need to thank me. Anyone who bullies you is basically bullying me too. I naturally have to stand up for my friend and not let the bad guys win," Eve replied."I was just venting to you, but you took it to heart. I'm really touched by how you treat me. It's great to have a friend like you," the person said, moved.Eve had always been like this, sincere in her friendships. She had been pampered since childhood, never experiencing much hardship or the darker sides of human nature. When she heard her friend was being bullied, she immediately wanted to stand up for her, even though it ended up causing her trouble. But she had no regrets. Next time, she would do the same."I don't know if you're free lately, but I'd like to treat you to a meal to thank you properly," the person continued."I am," Eve replied, lying on her bed. "Anytime works for me, as long as
"I watched the behind-the-scenes footage, and she definitely did not use a stunt double. Her fight scenes were smooth and natural, so it's no wonder she's getting popular!""Have you seen it? Miranda is on fire. The stock market hit the ceiling today."Nina overheard people in the office discussing. She grabbed a glass of water from the pantry. Coincidentally, Taylor was there too. Seeing Nina, she said, "Nina, did you hear what they were saying? Mr. York invested heavily in Miranda. It's thanks to him that she's become this big. Miranda must have been Mr. York's savior in a past life!"Taylor still could not understand how Miranda could become popular. And it was just one drama that made her popular. She had not watched the drama yet, but she had heard others rave about how good it was. She was not fond of Miranda so even if her drama was popular, she did not want to watch it.Nina looked at Taylor and said with a smile, "Even if they praise her, it still depends on whether she
The trash can sailed through the air, scattering its foul-smelling contents across the police station, filling the air with a pungent odor. Several young officers flanked Kieran from both sides, trying to grab hold of his arms. But Kieran thrashed wildly, his surprising strength allowing him to break free from one officer’s grip. With a sharp elbow strike, he hit another officer square in the stomach. The officer grunted in pain, stumbling back a few steps but gritted his teeth and held his ground. The scene in the reception hall descended into chaos. Civilians seeking assistance huddled in corners, some shrieking in fear. Mrs. Stone stood to the side, wringing her hands and stomping her feet in desperation. Her voice, pleading and panicked, was drowned out by her son’s shouting. “Kieran, stop this! Calm down!” she cried. But Kieran was too far gone, consumed by his manic performance. He couldn’t—or wouldn’t—hear her. The situation was teetering on the brink of tot
Karina stared at the flood of messages, feeling nothing but disgust and revulsion. Kieran’s texts were growing increasingly obsessive, filled with unhinged threats, unreasonable demands, and even veiled warnings against her safety. No. She couldn’t allow the Stone family’s harassment to continue unchecked. Taking a deep breath, she decisively dialed the police. She provided the authorities with a detailed account of the Stone family’s relentless harassment, including Kieran’s disturbing demands and the threatening content of his messages. The officers assured her that they would investigate promptly and provide her with protection if necessary. With the police now involved, Karina finally felt a sliver of relief. *The response was swift. The blare of sirens pierced through the city’s noise as several police cars raced toward Kieran’s address. Flashing red and blue lights reflected off the surrounding buildings, drawing curious stares from passersby. Guided by
The Stone family wasn’t just greedy. They were relentless, always pushing boundaries and expecting more.Karina sighed. “It’s not that I can’t stand up to them, but sometimes it feels unnecessary. There are things that just can’t be explained.”Wilfred didn’t press further. “Pack your things and come with me. I have to travel for a project negotiation that will help our hospital continue expanding.” He was determined to firmly establish himself in Birkham, not just for his professional ambitions but also because Nina was there. Wilfred wanted to protect her and mentor his students, ensuring they could safeguard Nina’s children in the future. “But didn’t we already promise a patient that we’d perform surgery?” Karina asked, a little hesitant. “I’ll arrange for someone else to handle it.” While Karina might have been the better choice for the surgery, Wilfred had other options, including pulling Caleb in at the last minute. “Alright,” Karina replied. Since Wilfred had
Sera blocked Karina’s path, her expression cold and disdainful. “You think you can just use that money to brush me off? Do I look like someone who needs your measly cash?”She grabbed Karina’s arm tightly, her nails biting into her skin. “Let me make this clear. If you don’t do what I’ve asked, I’ll ruin you, Karina. Completely.”Karina’s fear was palpable, but the thought of endless torment and manipulation was even more terrifying. She met Sera’s fierce gaze with a calm, unyielding stare. “Do whatever you want. But let me remind you, the money you gave me? I’m willing to go down with you if it comes to that. My life might not be worth much, but you’ve worked so hard to get into Wilfred’s hospital. Are you really willing to throw that all away?”Sera faltered. She had worked incredibly hard to get where she was. Countless sleepless nights studying, memorizing every detail of her medical texts, and enduring the challenges of difficult patients had pushed her to the brink. She often
Sera’s gaze was so sharp it felt like it could pierce through Karina. Karina hadn’t expected her momentary greed to create such a mess. If she couldn’t stay a doctor, she would have no source of income, and her life would spiral further out of control. “Please, don’t do this. Tell me what you want, and I’ll keep helping you. Maybe… I could spike his drink for you again, or set up another opportunity,” Karina said, grabbing Sera’s hand out of desperation. Sera clearly wasn’t short on money. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to give Karina such a large sum back then.All she wanted now was to secure her position at the hospital.Sera pulled her hand away, a mocking smile on her face. “Set up another opportunity? Do you think Wilfred would fall for it twice? Do you take him for an idiot, Dr. Norman?” Wilfred wasn’t an idiot, and ordinary drugs didn’t seem to affect him much.Karina felt utterly helpless. One wrong step had led to another, and now she had no idea how to
“Starting today, you’ll officially resume your position as my assistant. I trust you’ll adapt quickly,” Wilfred said firmly. Karina’s eyes lit up with a hint of surprise. “Dr. Wilfred, really? I’ll do my best to fulfill the responsibilities of the assistant role.” Wilfred stood up and walked over to her, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Familiarize yourself with the current work schedule and the relevant materials. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me. I have confidence in you.” Karina hesitated, a trace of worry crossing her face. “But… I’m not sure this is a good idea.” Wilfred already had an assistant. If Karina agreed to take the position, wouldn’t that make her a target for trouble from his former assistant? And then there were all the people at the hospital who were infatuated with Wilfred. Lately, she had already been spending more time with him, drawing enough attention as it was. If she officially became his assistant, she’d surely
Back home, the first thing Karina did was take a shower, cranking the water temperature to the highest setting as if that was the only way to wash away the grim memories of the night.She scrubbed her arms fiercely, the spots where those repulsive men had touched her. Even through her clothes, the thought made her feel sick. Again and again, she lathered herself with soap until her skin turned slightly red, but no matter how hard she tried, the discomfort in her heart lingered.After her shower, Karina changed into clean pajamas and sat on the edge of her bed, unable to sleep. Her gaze fell on her phone. She hesitated for a moment before sending a text to Wilfred.“Dr. Wilfred, I’m truly grateful for your help tonight. I’ll never forget it.”After sending the message, she set her phone down, hugged her knees, and curled up on the bed. Returning to the hospital had always been her dream, but now she worried whether she could truly meet expectations and not let Wilfred down.As she
The men exchanged uneasy glances, hesitating for a moment before reluctantly mumbling, “Sorry,” to Karina. Wilfred watched their retreating figures with thinly veiled disgust. Turning to Karina, he asked gently, “Are you okay?” Karina shook her head lightly, brushing it off. “I’m fine, Dr. Wilfred. Thank you.” Wilfred let out a soft sigh. “Come with me. You shouldn’t be working here.” Karina nodded, following him out of the private room. Wilfred guided Karina through the bustling bar. The pounding music and chaotic chatter seemed distant and muted, fading into the background as they moved. They made their way to the parking lot, where Wilfred opened the car door, carefully helping Karina into the passenger seat before getting in himself and starting the engine. As Karina buckled her seatbelt, she turned to Wilfred with a look of curiosity. “Dr. Wilfred, didn’t you say you had things to handle at the hospital? How did you get here so quickly?” Wilfred kept his ey
When Karina stepped into the room, one of the men, his gaze hazy from drink, chuckled and said, “Well, so this is the beauty they sent over?”Karina forced herself to stay calm and replied politely, “Good evening, gentlemen. Here’s the drinks you ordered.” She began placing the drinks on the table one by one, hoping to finish quickly. Before she could finish, another man grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him. “Come, have a few drinks with us, sweetheart.”Karina’s heart raced as she pulled her hand away with force. “Sir, I’m just here to deliver your drinks. I don’t entertain guests.”The men burst into laughter. “What bar do you think you’re in? There’s no such thing as not entertaining here. Don’t play coy, sweetheart. Sit with us, and you’ll be rewarded handsomely.”Fear surged through Karina as she instinctively stepped back, trying to maintain some distance. “I’m really just here for work,” she said, her voice trembling. “Please respect me!”But the men, emboldened