Wilfred looked at her with a gentle smile, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. Why did his sadness affect her so deeply? She recalled the harsh words she had said before, realizing they might have hurt him. Suddenly, she understood that Wilfred likely would not harm her. Perhaps he had his own reasons.She wanted to cross the street to reach him, but she had to wait for the light to turn green. As cars passed by, her eyes followed Wilfred, hoping he would not leave before she could get to him.When the light finally changed, Nina hurried across the street. But when she reached the other side, Wilfred was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she found a basket of freshly picked strawberries on the sidewalk.Nina stood there, stunned. She picked up the basket and looked around, calling out, "Wilfred! Come out, I need to talk to you! Why are you hiding from me?"She was so close to getting answers, but he had vanished, leaving behind a basket of strawberries. What did this mean
Miranda saw Nash through the glass window. He looked like he was barely hanging on. She grabbed the man in the camouflage uniform, her eyes red with anxiety. "How is he? Is he seriously injured? How did he get hurt so badly, and when will he wake up?""I don't know," the man in the camouflage uniform replied. "But miss, this is a quiet zone. If you want to wait for Captain York to wake up, you need to do so quietly.""How did he get hurt and end up in the ICU?" Miranda said anxiously. "Will he die?"She was clearly frightened.Yvonne, seeing her panic, could not help but say, "Why is she so worked up? She's not his wife! And how does she know Nash was injured? Could she be the one behind your kidnapping?"Nina had already suspected something when Miranda asked about Nash. It had only been a few hours since he was shot and admitted to the ICU, and no one had been informed. How did Miranda know? Unless she was in cahoots with them. Just from that information, Nina was alread
Miranda's gaze at Nina was incredibly fierce, as if declaring war. She was silently saying that she would not let her off easily! Nina had never seen such a gaze before, and it was clear that even Miranda felt some pressure.No longer willing to give Miranda any face, Nina said, "Miss Miranda, you've seen him and made your scene. Please leave now. You don't need to worry about when my husband will wake up!"Miranda was even more reluctant to leave. "Nina, who do you think you are? You’re nothing but an abandoned wife!""I'm his wife. He risked his life to save me. You have no right to be here!" Nina retorted sharply. "Escort her out!""You..." Miranda seethed with anger.But the man in the camouflage uniform followed Nina's orders. They all knew Nash had been injured saving Nina, and she was rightfully his wife."Miss, please leave. Otherwise, we’ll have to force you out."Seeing the group of tall, muscular men armed and ready, Miranda knew she could not win this fight. She gl
Seeing that Nina had not come out for a long time, Julia went into the study."Nina, what are you looking for?" Julia asked from the doorway, seeing Nina buried in her search.Nina looked up. "Mom, I remember Dad loved collecting newspapers. How come I can't find them?"Zion had a hobby of collecting newspapers, keeping them in a box from the earliest editions to the most recent. They should have been well-organized, easy to find. But she could not locate them.At this, Julia's expression changed slightly. Not wanting Nina to notice, she walked over with a smile. "What newspapers are you looking for? Let me help."Nina replied, "It's from when I was in middle school. There should be some, right?"Julia grew more nervous. "Which issue specifically? You were in middle school for three years. Do you know the exact issue?""When I was kidnapped at school," Nina said casually. "That was a big event. It should've made the papers."Julia's expression shifted again and again. "Why are
After speaking, Julia went to the kitchen. Nina still felt very happy. She had loving parents who were in good health. With all the commotion at home, Zion woke up too. He got up and brought them some fruit to eat. As parents, they always feared their children might go hungry and were eager to provide food.“Dad, you should go back to bed. Sorry to disturb you so late,” Nina said.“What are you talking about? It's never too late for you to come home,” Zion replied, his eyes full of affection. He then turned to Yvonne. “You also haven't visited for a while.”“I’ve been busy with work, but I stay in touch with Nina. I’m sorry I came in such a rush that I didn’t bring any gifts,” Yvonne said.“It’s fine, you don’t need to bring anything. You and Nina are like sisters, and to me, you’re like another daughter. No need to be so formal,” Zion said warmly. Then he got up. “I’ll go check on your mom.”He also headed to the kitchen. The TV in the living room was still on. Yvonne bit into
"Alright," Nina agreed, telling her, "Let's sleep."Yvonne was exhausted and quickly fell back asleep. However, Nina had too much on her mind to rest. Yvonne's mention of praying made her think of the green prayer beads Wilfred always had with him, which felt oddly familiar.In the morning, Nina was awakened by Yvonne's urgent voice."Nina, wake up! It's bad. Nash is in critical condition!"Nina's eyes flew open. "What?"Her heart raced as she jumped out of bed. "When did this happen?""Just now. They called from the hospital!" Yvonne explained.Seeing the missed call on her phone, Nina's heart sank. Was Nash really not going to make it?Tears welled up in her eyes as she imagined a life without Nash. If he died, she would never see him again, and that thought was unbearable. She felt as though her heart had been ripped apart.Fighting back her tears, Nina hurriedly dressed, knowing she needed to be strong and get to the hospital.On the way, Yvonne tried to comfort her,
Nina shook off his hand. "I don't accept this. If you want to die so badly, go ahead and die!" She turned to leave."Nina!" Nash tried to get out of bed to follow her, but the movement pulled at his wound, and he fell back, coughing heavily. Nina stopped and looked back, seeing him in pain, his brows furrowed. She could not help but rush back to his side. "Are you okay? Did you pull your wound? Should I call the doctor?"Despite the pain, Nash held onto her hand. "I'll be fine as long as you don't leave."Looking at his pale face and the desperation in his eyes, she found it impossible to be cold-hearted. "Alright. Lie down properly. Let the doctor check on you."Nash obeyed, lying back down but still asked, "So, you're not leaving?"Nina replied, "You got hurt because of me. If I leave now, that would be ungrateful. I still owe you."A small smile appeared on Nash's lips. "As long as you stay, I'm happy."Seeing him smile touched Nina deeply. She had been thinking about endin
Upon hearing that, Nina thought something was wrong and asked with concern, "Uncomfortable? Where does it hurt?"Her eyes widened as she looked at him.Looking at her face, Nash said in a husky voice, "My body hurts."Nina quickly checked to see what was wrong. When she felt his burning body and heard his labored breathing, she realized what was happening. Her face immediately turned red, and she pulled away, a bit annoyed. "At a time like this, you're thinking about that? Can't you control yourself?""It's a natural reaction. How could I possibly control it?" Nash said with a hint of helplessness, trying to calm the fire within him.Nina retorted, "I think you just think about it too much. It's always on your mind!"Nash looked at her and disagreed, saying, "If I didn't think about it, that would be a problem. If I couldn't get an erection being this close, I might as well be useless!"Nina, embarrassed by his bluntness, could not respond directly."Just sleep," Nash said, p
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