Wilfred lowered his eyes and said, "I won’t hurt you."Nina stood up, distancing herself from him. "I don’t know if I should trust you, but you don’t seem entirely clean. I hope we don’t have too much contact."She did not dare get too close to him.Protecting herself was the most important thing.Wilfred offered a bitter smile and looked at the strawberries he had picked earlier. He picked them up and handed them to her. "These are the strawberries you like. I just picked them today. Take them."Nina did not accept them and instead said, "Thank you, but no thanks."With that, she quickly walked out.Her palms were sweating.One moment she wondered if Wilfred was pretending, planning to kill her. Everything was uncertain.Now she wondered if she should move.Living next door to him might be dangerous.She could not risk her life.She hurried away as if he were a virus.Wilfred remained alone in his apartment, the basket of strawberries still in his hand.His expression wa
The middle-aged man snorted disdainfully and left.Scarlett collapsed to the ground, finally relaxing.She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. One side of her face was swollen, losing its usual refinement, and her eyes showed a fear that was not there before.It was clear she was scared.They were people who lived in the shadows and could not leave the organizationLeaving meant the only path left for them was death.She began to worry about Wilfred. His current actions were directly opposing the organization.If he was discovered one day, what would happen?A hint of sorrow appeared on Scarlett’s face. No matter what, she had to complete the mission.It was not only to save herself but also Wilfred.She had no time to waste, just one week.This was their countdown.Scarlett stood up, covered the red mark on her face with foundation, tidied her hair, and left looking as if nothing had happened.She arrived at the riverbank.Wilfred was already waiting there."S
"I still remember when you were a bit shorter than me, and now you’re a head taller. You've grown into quite a handsome man. Seeing you makes me as happy as if I were seeing my own son," Mark said, patting Nash’s shoulder and looking him up and down.In the past, Nash had been under Mark’s guidance.Back then, Mark was not yet a colonel, just a small squad leader.They had shared life-and-death experiences, forming a deep bond.Even though Nash had left the military for many years, they both remembered the old camaraderie.Given their age difference, Nash could have been Mark’s son, and Mark regarded him as such.They chatted for a while, reminiscing about past experiences. When the moment was right, Nash said, "I came because I need your help with something."Mark immediately responded, "Whatever you need, just say it. If I can help, I will. But I have to ask, do you have any plans to return to the military?"He hoped Nash would consider staying."I’m not considering that for
"Hello?"Nash was sitting, and hearing Nina’s voice made his eyes flicker with emotion. In a raspy voice, he said, "I miss you."For a moment, Nina tightly gripped her phone but could not find any words to respond.Having just nearly been kidnapped today, Nina was still shaken. With Wilfred living next door, she was not sure how safe she was. Talking to Nash helped distract her.She could not help but talk a bit more. "Where are you?"Nash looked outside at the people doing exercises, the loud commands making him shut the window tightly. "Out of town.""You're out of town?" Nina remembered that when they parted ways, Nash had something urgent to attend to, but she had not known he would be leaving town."Yes, I had some things to take care of." He did not elaborate, not wanting Nina to worry.Nash asked, "How have you been? Eating regularly?"He was still very concerned about Nina.Nina thought for a moment, her worries evident. "I’m fine."Nash wanted her to talk more.
She came in carrying a lot of things. When Nina saw Yvonne, she felt as if she were seeing an angel and immediately hugged her. “Thank goodness you came. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep well tonight.”“What’s going on?” Yvonne asked. “No wonder Nash called me and asked me to come check on you. Something must have happened.”Nash would not have asked her to check on Nina for no reason.She was worried and came over right away.“He called you?” Nina was a bit surprised.Yvonne replied, “Nash must be tied up and couldn’t come himself, so he asked me to keep you company.”She touched Nina’s face. “Look at you, you’re pale. Did something scare you?”Nina held her hand and explained, “I don’t know who I’ve offended, but I was almost kidnapped today.”“What?” Yvonne was shocked. “Why didn’t you tell Nash? If he knew, he would have made sure the kidnapper was caught. And why would someone want to kidnap you? Think about it, who could you have offended?”Nina thought for
"She's doing well," the assistant replied. "She's been very busy with work lately and hasn't been able to visit you.""Busy with work, huh," Sally felt a twinge of disappointment but said, "That's good. Being busy with work is a good sign. She's a big star now, and she'll only get more successful. Having lots of work means she has a bright future. I'm really happy for her.""Alright, Sally, I have to get back to work," the assistant said."Okay." Sally could not see Miranda in person, but she looked at the thermos bottles in her hand and quickly handed them to the assistant. "I made this chicken soup myself. She must be too busy to eat properly. Please give it to her so she can have it when she has some time."The assistant took the thermos bottles. "Sure, I'll make sure she gets it."With that, the assistant went back inside.Sally stayed at the entrance for a while, hoping to catch a glimpse of Miranda, but it was in vain. After lingering for a long time, she finally got into h
“You bastard!” Sally's eyes were red with anger, and she gritted her teeth. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have married into the York family. Seth, you owe me for the rest of your life!”Seth Duncan remembered this favor. “I haven’t forgotten.”He paused before continuing, “However, when I get out, it will benefit both you and your daughter.”Sally’s expression remained cold. “When you get out, just live your life and stay away from me and Miranda. Don’t interfere with her career. That’s the biggest favor you can do!”She no longer expected anything from him. She only hoped he would not cause further trouble.Miranda had worked hard to get to where she was, and Sally would not let him ruin that.She could imagine that giving Miranda to him had not led to a good life.These years had been hard on her, which only deepened Sally’s sense of guilt.Seth said nothing, giving Sally a meaningful look.Sally had come to warn him and had nothing more to say.After delivering her me
The doctor's body stiffened. "Miss Walker, what are you talking about? Are you questioning my professional ability?"Nina clutched her tightly. "Doctors aren't allowed to have manicures. With nails that long and a scent that strong, you can't possibly be a real doctor."The doctor felt a pang of guilt and quickly pulled her hand back.Taking advantage of the moment, Nina bolted for the door.Seeing this, the doctor rushed to grab her. "Where do you think you're going?"She caught Nina by the hair at the door.Her movements were swift and ruthless, and Nina realized she was dealing with someone trained in combat. She had no chance of winning and shouted, "Help..."Before she could finish, the doctor grabbed her neck and injected her with a needle.It was the same syringe she was going to use to draw blood.Nina winced in pain, her hands digging into her thighs as her consciousness began to blur.Seeing Nina calm down, the doctor relaxed, letting her slowly collapse to the grou
Caleb organized the medications and explained everything meticulously. "These are oral meds, three times a day after meals," he said.Caleb noticed that Ben’s eyes were fixed on Jamie. At that moment, his face was filled with worry and urgency."It's just a fever," Caleb reassured. "The shot's been given, the IV is running, and the meds are sorted. What else is there to worry about? I'll write out the steps for the IV change—"Before Caleb could finish his sentence, Ben shot him a sharp look that cut him off immediately.Fine, Caleb thought, throwing his hands up mentally. He would stay until the IV was done. Better that than risk being bombarded with Ben’s relentless calls later if anything went wrong. Caleb simply wasn’t up for that kind of torture.Although Jamie on the bed hadn’t woken up, Caleb didn’t want to stick around any longer. He had no interest in watching Ben fuss over her like some lovesick fool.Not long after Caleb left, Jamie stirred. Seeing Ben sitting by her b
Jamie was in a terrible state. Her injuries from shielding Ben during the stabbing incident hadn’t healed, and now, thanks to Summer’s scheming, she had developed a fever soaring to a dangerous 104 degrees Fahrenheit.Lying in bed, delirious and motionless, Jamie didn’t even realize how bad things had gotten. When the housekeeper came to deliver her meal and saw her lying there unresponsive, panic took over.“Mr. Lucas, Miss Lewis looks like she’s dead!” the housekeeper stammered, trembling with fear.“What did you just say?” Ben shot up from his chair, his piercing gaze locking onto the housekeeper. The housekeeper could barely meet his eyes, shrinking under the intensity of his glare. Ben had never looked so alarmed, his usual composure replaced by a pale, stricken expression.Without waiting for further explanation, Ben bolted out of his study, stumbling as he rushed down the hallway. When he finally reached Jamie’s room, he found her lying in bed, breathing heavily, her face
The woman had deliberately spoken in a vague and ambiguous way. She had been sent by Summer, with Mrs. Lucas's covert assistance. Together, they had schemed to place a helper in the villa with a simple enough task with their combined influence. But to Jamie, the words carried a different implication. This was Lucas’s territory, which meant this woman had likely been instructed by Ben. If Jamie didn’t drink the soup, she was certain Ben wouldn’t let it slide. A wave of bitterness washed over her. “Fine, just leave it over there. I’ll drink it later when I’m thirsty.” “Miss Lewis, I need to personally see you finish the soup before I can leave. If you’re not ready to drink it now, that’s no problem. I’ll just wait here.” The woman placed the tray on the table, pulled a chair over, and sat directly in front of Jamie. Her stare was unrelenting, her attitude clear. She wasn’t leaving until the job was done. If it had been anyone else in Jamie’s place, the woman wouldn’t da
“Don’t beg me. If begging worked, I’d have begged Ben not to leave a long time ago,” Winnie said as she wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes. “Here’s the deal. I called to make one thing clear. Everything you owe me, I’m going to take back, bit by bit, through Charlie. He’s your son, and they say the sins of the mother fall on the child.” With that biting remark, Winnie hung up without hesitation.Clutching her phone, her chest ached with a deep, lingering pain. The masked man approached, standing by her side. “Winnie, what’s the point of all this? You’re clearly full of hate for Jamie, but instead of taking it out on her, you’re here looking after her kid. I don’t get you sometimes.“If it were me,” he continued, “I’d grab this opportunity and make her suffer. Why are you holding back?”Winnie shook her head. “Charlie calls me his aunt, and besides, it’s not right to blame a child for the mistakes of adults.”She might despise Jamie, but Winnie couldn’t bring herself
On the day of the engagement banquet, Ben’s phone appearing near Jamie should have been a warning sign, but she missed it. Later, she had warmly welcomed Jamie into her home, showering her with care. She had even worried that Ben might dislike Jamie and tried to help them get along. And what happened in the end? While she had been tirelessly caring for them, the two of them ended up in bed together. Now, they were living under the same roof, while she and her child were left with nothing. How could Winnie not harbor resentment? Especially when she looked at Charlie, a chilling thought crept into her mind: If her own child’s life was ruined because of Jamie, then shouldn’t she retaliate by ruining Jamie’s child? An eye for an eye. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Every time Charlie called her "Aunt Winnie" with such innocence, it reminded her of the bond between them. How could she be so heartless? “I’m in Ben’s villa. He won’t let me leave,” Jamie
Ben gripped Jamie's chin tightly, his voice firm and unyielding. When Jamie had disappeared from his life, he had exhausted every possible means, called in countless favors, and poured his energy into finding her. But he had failed. Just when he was on the verge of giving up, he had met Winnie. It felt like fate had stepped in, intertwining their paths once more, as if destined for a lifetime of entangled love and hate. If that was his reality, then he would play along with it.“Instead of plotting ways to escape from me, why don’t you focus on apologizing? Show me some sincerity, and maybe I’ll make your life a little easier,” Ben said.Jamie’s lips curved into a bitter smile. She knew what he wanted.He wanted an apology and an attitude of remorse. But she also knew she had no leverage to stay by his side.Even if she played along now, making him happy temporarily, there was no future for them. Mrs. Lucas’s disdain for her was an insurmountable mountain, and she couldn’t see
Unfortunately, Ben couldn’t see through any of this. Summer, however, wasn’t the least bit intimidated. Shaking her head confidently, she said, “I’ve never done anything to upset him. I don’t believe that just exchanging a few words with him would make him kick me out.”Mrs. Lucas opened her mouth, about to say something, but seeing Summer’s confident demeanor, she hesitated. Maybe, just maybe, Ben might actually feel too awkward to reject her outright. And if a little covert manipulation were added into the mix…Suddenly, Mrs. Lucas had an idea. Hearing it, Summer’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Mrs. Lucas, that’s an excellent plan! We should act quickly before he does anything else irrational.” “Alright.” Though the plan was solid, the two of them decided to put it into action three days later. Meanwhile, Ben hadn’t been to the office lately, but he was still keeping track of all the firm’s cases. He was also trying to reach Winnie, but while her phone would ring,
Ben wanted nothing more than to wring Jamie's neck after hearing her cold, cutting words. “I don’t need your lectures,” he growled. Human nature? Didn’t she think he knew enough about it already? He had seen it in every case he handled, and he had learned it the hardest way through her betrayal. When he fell for Jamie, it had been with the intent to marry her, to share a future. But she had stabbed him in the back without hesitation. And yet, when he tried to hate her, tried to wish for her downfall, he couldn’t bring himself to follow through. “Stay here and reflect on your actions, Jamie.” Ben knew her well enough. If she cried, begged for forgiveness, he would soften. But she didn’t. Instead, all she cared about was that child, the child he refused to acknowledge. “Fine,” he thought grimly. “Let’s see how long that bastard can survive.”*Meanwhile, Ben’s mother, Mrs. Lucas, had failed to convince him to cut ties with Jamie. This left her in a tough spot, especial
Ben would never believe the truth, and his mother would never allow Charlie’s existence. Instead of creating chaos and an irreparable fallout, Jamie chose to keep it hidden. She thought that once Ben’s anger subsided, he would eventually let her go.“Even if you figure out who the father is, what difference does it make?” Jamie met Ben’s intense gaze calmly. “We’ve already said everything that needed to be said. Can’t we stop making each other’s lives miserable?”"Your mother offered so much money. Why wouldn’t I take it? I’m not a fool. I gave you up for one million before. After these past four years, do you really think there’s any love left between us? Do you honestly expect me to cry and beg for you?”Jamie’s voice was steady as she stared calmly at Ben. She had been scared at first, but over time, she had come to terms with her reality. Ben wasn’t going to kill her. And as long as she stayed alive, there would eventually come a day when he’d let her go. Right now, his anger wa