"Not taking more rest?" Wilfred asked, walking beside her."No, if I keep staying home, I’ll go crazy. I need to get back to normal life."Even though she could live comfortably in the villa with no worries, life would feel meaningless without something to do."Alright."Nina returned to her job. As soon as she arrived, Angel bombarded her with questions.She didn't want to answer anymore. "What you see is what you get. Just focus on work!"Angel felt as frustrated and upset as Yvonne had been. But since Nina did not want to talk about it, she stopped asking. However, the office buzzed with conversations."Have you seen the latest trends? Miranda’s popularity is through the roof!""Yeah, it’s because of the news about her marrying Nash. That came out of nowhere!""Rumors about them have been circulating for a while, but I never thought they’d come true. It's like a plot from a romance novel!""Did you see the livestream where Nash proposed to another girl? That girl didn’t lo
"Just because something is popular now doesn't mean it will be well-received once it airs. The higher the expectations, the greater the potential for disappointment," Nina said slowly. She added, "To win the audience's love, current popularity isn't enough. Plus, if everyone is after Miranda, we shouldn't join the crowd and get nothing but trouble."She looked at the remaining scripts. "Just because these aren't trending now doesn't mean they're not good. Plenty of shows become hits after they air."She then looked at Angel, "This could also significantly raise audience expectations.""You have a point," Angel nodded seriously. "But who wouldn't want a sure thing? The risk is too high. Penelope is relying on this next role to make a comeback."In the entertainment industry, one successful drama could be a make-or-break opportunity. Missing this chance could mean no more opportunities.Nina said, "That's why we need to choose carefully. This could be the dark horse we're looking
"Does that mean we're on the same page this time?" Nina asked.Penelope showed a warm look. "Maybe we were best friends in a past life, given how in sync we are now."Nina smiled without saying anything."But I'm more worried about your situation," Penelope continued. "Have you really moved on?"She was referring to the recent drama. Miranda was getting together with Nash while Nina was left out. It seemed absurd to her.Nina shrugged, responding cheerfully, "With a great career, why would I need to worry about men? Once I reach the peak of my success, there will be plenty of men around!"Penelope could not help but give her a thumbs up.They entered the female director's studio together. It was small, almost cramped. Previously, this director had made documentaries, winning several awards. This was her first time directing a TV series. The script, which took her five years to perfect, showed her passion and dedication to the industry, indicating she was not just chasing trend
They were taken aback. "Not producing it? Why not?" Nina asked. Nelly smiled and said, "I'm not some big-shot director. I've only made a few documentaries and, yes, I've won some awards, but I don’t have much income. This script took me five years to write, and even though I want to shoot it, I can’t find investors. Without funding, it’s impossible to move forward. Plus, the competition is fierce. Thousands of scripts are submitted, and mine hasn’t attracted any interest. I wanted to produce it myself, but the funding fell through. I just can’t make it happen!"Nina thought it was for some other reason. "Your script is really good!" Nina encouraged her. "Both Penelope and I think it’s well written.""Don’t give up!" Penelope joined in. "Look, we’re here to support you."Nelly appreciated their encouragement but had to face reality. "Thank you, but I need to make money first. That’s why I’ve been working on other projects lately. Even though I’m proud of this script, investors
"No regrets," Nina replied. "I just never imagined I'd be in this position. I used to be just a secretary, and now I'm making a huge gamble with ten million. It's enough to scare anyone!"Penelope put her arm around Nina’s shoulder. "You're my biggest investor now. I'll be counting on you!""Don't say that!" Nina said. "The hard work is just beginning. We'll only be able to relax once the drama airs and gets good feedback. Otherwise, we'll be in big trouble. We have to win this time!"Penelope knew she was making a huge gamble just like Nina. The stakes were high, and this project could make or break them. She did not know why she felt compelled to take such a risky path. Perhaps it was Nina's determination that inspired her. It ignited a fire in her, driving her to aim for the top. She was no longer just Penelope from a small town. She was aiming to become Queen Penelope.A confident smile tugged at Penelope's lips. "We can only win, no room for failure!"Back at the office,
Wilfred was always decisive and had no intention of letting Scott go. However, he hesitated, considering whether Scott’s words were trustworthy and if he could be a reliable ally. Their struggle made a lot of noise in the room.Feeling somewhat better, Nina woke up and saw them grappling with each other. "What are you two doing?" she asked.With his back to Nina, Wilfred blocked Scott from view, preventing her from seeing the fight. She had no idea they were actually in a confrontation."Scott?" Nina called out, having glimpsed his figure.Hearing her, Wilfred released Scott and quickly hid the scalpel. Scott, understanding the situation, smiled as if nothing had happened. "Nina, you're awake."Nina sat up. "Why are you here?"Scott, holding the gifts he brought for her, replied, "I came back from a business trip and didn't find you at home. I guessed you might still be at work, so I came by. Here, these are for you."He handed her a champagne rose and a box of chocolates.
"Where is it?" Scott continued to ask.Wilfred hesitated before finally responding, "Do you know the Nile organization?"Scott's expression tightened. "Isn't that a terrorist organization? It was supposed to have been eradicated years ago. How could...""It wasn't," Wilfred said, his eyes darkening. "I was one of them."Scott fell silent, recalling the time Nina was kidnapped. He looked at Wilfred again. "Is Nina being targeted by this organization?"Wilfred looked down. "I don't think so.""Nash and Miranda's scandal, could it be that he…" Scott had a terrifying thought that seemed to make sense."She might not have the antidote," Wilfred said. "But right now, it's our only lead. Without her, finding the antidote would be nearly impossible."Scott clenched his fists, the concern for Nina evident. They were all worried about her, each in their own way. "I understand," Scott said. "I'll find a way."Wilfred cautioned him, "Do what you can, but be careful."Just then, Nina
The restaurant was in complete chaos. Nina was still eating, but Scott and Wilfred became alert. "Nina, there's a fire! We need to get out now," Scott said."Alright," Nina replied, following them out of the restaurant.The restaurant was on the ground floor, so if there was a fire, they could quickly escape. Soon, the restaurant was empty. All the customers were outside, trying to see where the fire was. The restaurant owner was still inside.Nina stood outside, watching. There was not any smoke and it did not look like a fire at all."What's going on?" a customer asked nervously. "Is there a fire?""The alarm went off, so there must be a fire!""Look, the sprinklers are on!"They were talking about the fire sprinkler system inside that had been activated. Amidst the chatter, the owner came out, looking embarrassed. "I'm so sorry, everyone. Our fire system malfunctioned and set off the alarm. I apologize for the scare!"The owner bowed to everyone. "I'll prepare some small g
And just like that, the conversation fell into a brief silence. Meanwhile, on the other side, Hunter received a call from Yelena. “What did you just say?” Yelena told him that her hand was broken, and on top of that, Liam seemed to be getting suspicious. She wasn’t sure what to do, so she called Hunter for advice. “I don’t really care what happens to you, but at the very least, take care of yourself.“Otherwise, if something else goes wrong later, I’ll have to step in and clean up the mess. Don’t you think so?” Hearing this, Yelena was a little taken aback. “It’s not just about my injury. The real problem is, I’m scared of what he might do now.” Sure, she had taken the two hundred thousand dollars, but she had to stay alive to spend it. At this rate, she wouldn’t even make it through in one piece. “I already told you—protect yourself. If you need anything else, I’ll try to provide it. But right now, I need you to do something for me.” Hunter had been look
“Yes, it’s in that mountain area. If you’re worried, you can go check it out yourself. But as for anything else, we don’t really have much more information.”Compared to everything else, this was the most baffling situation.“You make a good point. But given the current circumstances, I think it’ll be difficult to pull off.”Vera was speaking with the private investigator. Deep down, she was more worried than anything else.“Don’t worry,” the private investigator reassured her. “Aside from what we discussed earlier, nothing else seems too extreme. Plus, we’ve already looked into it pretty thoroughly.”By the time he finished speaking, his expression had grown more complicated.“Alright. I understand.”After hanging up, she anxiously looked straight ahead. If she had been mentally prepared before, now she was starting to feel uneasy. “What’s going on?” Caleb asked while driving, glancing at her. Vera hesitated, debating whether to tell him or not. But seeing the strange
“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.