Hearing this, Miranda's expression stiffened slightly, but she firmly retorted, "No, I can’t do that. I'm Miranda, a big star now. How could I stoop to doing such things?""Miranda..." Wilfred repeated the name softly, then suddenly smiled. "That name isn't clean either. You’re dwelling in the darkness but dreaming of seeing the light, hmm?"He asked, tapping his slender fingers on the table.They were both people from the underworld and neither could claim purity.Miranda's face turned pale, and her hands clenched tightly. "It's all in the past. We can be clean now!"She longed to believe she could be clean. No one knew about the things she had done before. Although her hands were dirty, she had washed them clean.Wilfred remained silent.Miranda looked at him earnestly, "I want a normal life. I have a career, and I will have a family. You can have that too. You can live a normal life."Wilfred gazed into Miranda's eyes. He believed that, at this moment, she was sincere.But.
Nina stood at the doorway. She had hired someone to follow Miranda, waiting for this moment. There was no way Miranda would have intentionally made herself deaf. Someone must be helping her. Coming to this place was highly suspicious, and Nina hoped to find some clues.When the door opened, she saw the tall figure before her. "It's you!"Wilfred responded, "What a coincidence."Nina looked at the man dressed as a doctor. It all made sense now. She glanced inside, searching for any sign of Miranda. The person following Miranda said she had entered and never left."Are you a doctor?" Nina asked.Wilfred answered, "Yes."Nina probed, "I think a friend of mine came here...""Miranda?" he interrupted.Nina looked up at him. He did not seem to be hiding anything, and he seemed to know exactly what she wanted to ask. It felt almost too easy."She really came here?" Nina asked."I have the answers you're looking for," Wilfred said directly. "If you want to know, come in."He left
Wilfred's smile remained, the mole at the corner of his eye becoming more pronounced. "Isn't this what you wanted to know? I'm just telling the truth."Nina could not quite read him. With a single glance, she could see the entire space, and she was sure that Miranda was not there. She doubted the truth of his words. "How can I trust what you're saying?""What would I gain by lying to you?" Wilfred looked at the desk. "Here are the records of Miranda seeking my help. You can see for yourself."Nina picked up the medical records and reviewed them. Indeed, it showed Miranda had come to him for help. The regular doctors could not cure her, but he could. His medical skills seemed impressive. He was capable of inducing and restoring hearing loss. Everything fit."You know the truth now, aren't you afraid for your life?" Wilfred had moved close to her, his words dropping from above.Nina looked up at him, genuinely feeling a bit panicked. This man’s background was unknown, and she wa
"It's me!" Nash grabbed her hands.Nina looked up and saw Nash standing in front of her. "What are you doing here?"Nash's expression was dark. "I should be asking you that. What are you doing here?"Nina still had the medical records in her pocket and could not let Nash find out. If he knew, he might destroy them. She quickly responded, "I came to see a friend.""Do you think I'll believe that?" Nash retorted."What else would I be doing here?" Nina countered."You went to the fourth floor," Nash said coldly. "Do you know the consequences of entering a stranger’s territory?"Nina replied, "But I came out just fine!"Seeing her lack of concern, Nash's brows furrowed. "Nina, if something had happened, you could have lost your life. Do you realize how serious this is?"Nina studied Nash, wondering why he was here. Was it for the same reason as her? She could not be sure. Maybe their purposes were different. Regardless, she had what she came for. She softened her tone. "I und
"Isn't the child yours too?" Sally retorted.William looked at her coldly. "I don't even want this marriage, so why would I want a child?"Sally's face turned pale. "I knew you would say that, William. Why did I ever marry you? I regret it. If I could start over, I would rather have never married you!"William's tone was equally harsh. "Didn't you use every trick in the book to marry me? Did you think I wanted to marry you?"Sally's heart felt like it was tearing apart, her eyes reddening. "Yes, I used every trick, and you've been punishing me ever since!"He stayed out all night, rarely came home, and never treated this place as his home since they married. She felt like she was living a life of emotional deprivation."Punishing you? That's putting it lightly," William said with cold eyes. "I never even saw you as someone worth my time."Sally's heart grew colder. What had she been hoping for? That one day William would have a change of heart?No, she had not. She just could n
At that moment, she felt like she had lost everything. No one would be by her side.---Nina returned to the hospital.By this time, Zoe had woken up. She looked tired, lying motionless on the hospital bed."Aunt Zoe," Nina called softly, carrying several bags.Zoe turned her head and smiled, "Nina, it's you.""How are you feeling? Any better?" Nina asked. "If you're uncomfortable, let me know."Zoe glanced at Nash standing behind Nina and hesitated before saying, "The pain is still there, but it's manageable. Don't worry, I'll be fine in a couple of days."Nina nodded, acknowledging her words."Nash," Zoe turned her gaze to Nash, feeling a bit guilty about what happened at the cemetery. "I'm sorry, I spoke without thinking. Don't take it to heart."Although she was angry with Nash, she felt she had said too much, which could have affected him.Nash looked at Zoe and said in a low voice, "It's in the past. Don't dwell on it."Zoe sighed, her face filled with sorrow. "It mus
"When I left the York family, I didn't take it with me, so it’s not mine anymore!" Nina retorted.Nash pursed his lips, his eyes sharp, and his fists clenched tightly."Let's go," Scott said to Nina.Nina followed Scott. Nash, watching their retreating figures, did not stop them but his gaze remained icy.In the basement parking lot, Nina said to Scott, "I found out the reason for Miranda's hearing loss. Now I need to make a call."With the online discussions heating up, she needed to clarify things to restore Zoe's reputation.Scott immediately opened the car door. "Do you need to go to the TV station?""Yes, I need to go back," Nina replied.Scott promptly drove her to the TV station. Nina had recently taken some leave. Originally, Michelle had failed to get an exclusive interview with Nash and had sabotaged Nina's news story, causing a scene at the TV station. The chief editor found out about all of it and gave her a good scolding. As a result, Michelle left a poor impress
Seeing Nina brought some comfort to Angel. Nina immediately reassured her, patting her on the back. Glancing at the computer screen filled with pages of text, she said, "Alright, stop crying. This time, I’ll make sure you get your moment in the spotlight."Angel, still sniffling, asked, "What do you mean by 'spotlight'? If I can get back at Michelle, that would be the real victory!"Having been oppressed by Michelle for so long, Angel wanted nothing more than to see her fall and to crush her underfoot."That's exactly what I'm talking about," Nina replied.Angel froze, quickly wiping away her tears. "Nina, I knew you’d come to my rescue. Tell me what to do, and I'll do it immediately!"Nina sat down, ready to work with Angel to expose the truth about Miranda.Meanwhile, Michelle was on her way to Miranda's residence. Miranda had returned home to Riverside Estate, a place where Nash would not visit. She was exhausted and knew she could not rely on Nash to support her. She had
Mrs. Stone was stunned into silence by the officer’s stern words. She stopped her hysterics, but her eyes still held traces of resentment and unease. Meanwhile, in another part of the station, Karina sat on a sofa, her mood as heavy and oppressive as the overcast sky outside. Her mind replayed the countless entanglements with the Stone family—the slander, the extortion, the endless pain. Those memories surged like waves, solidifying her determination to break free entirely. Staying in Birkham would only mean being drained by the insatiable greed of the Stones. Slowly, Karina took out her phone. Her fingers hesitated before they hovered over Wilfred’s contact. Taking a deep breath, she dialed his number. The line connected quickly, and Wilfred’s calm, caring voice came through. “Karina, what’s wrong?” Her lips trembled slightly, her voice tinged with an almost imperceptible quaver. “Dr. Wilfred, I need to tell you something.“I don’t think I can stay in Birkham anymor
“If your son is indeed suffering from a mental illness, we will proceed according to the appropriate legal procedures after professional evaluation. Until then, he must remain under our supervision and be investigated,” the officer explained firmly. Meanwhile, in another room at the station, Kieran, who had been subdued, was gradually calming down. Despite his quieter demeanor, a hint of cunning flickered in his eyes. The officer assigned to watch him kept a vigilant eye on his every move. Noticing the scrutiny, Kieran raised his head and feigned innocence. “Officer, I was having an episode earlier. I didn’t mean to act that way. I couldn’t control myself.” The officer’s response was cold and detached. “There will be time for explanations later. For now, sit tight and behave.” Kieran pursed his lips, remaining silent outwardly but scheming internally. *The police then called Karina to inform her of Mrs. Stone’s claims and to verify their accuracy. Karina let out
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