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
"It's bad! She is coming this way!"Seeing Nina heading in their direction, James and Felix quickly moved towards the back of the kitchen."What's going on?" Felix asked. "Why is she coming this way? Did we get caught?""Impossible!" James quickly denied. "We were trained soldiers. There's no way she'd notice us.""Then why is she coming?"Both men crouched as they moved."Let's hide for now."They concealed themselves in a hidden corner."Don't let her spot us. We'll move when she leaves."Nina inspected the fire alarm system.It had a hole punched through it."Looks like it was smashed," she noted.The owner quickly explained, "A server might have accidentally bumped into it, triggering the alarm.""Your servers have that much strength?" Nina asked skeptically. "This hasn't happened before, has it?""This is the first time," the owner admitted, struggling to come up with an excuse.Nina observed the large hole, drawing her own conclusions. "Seems like your server has s
James glared at Felix. "Really, Felix? I treated you like a brother, and you betrayed me!"Felix did not back down. "Right back at you!"James turned to Nina, forcing a smile. "Ma’am, I’m really sorry. It was an accident, not intentional. My mistake!"Nina responded, "I think you did it on purpose.""That’s impossible! How could I? I’m a good soldier who serves the people!" James stood at attention and saluted.Nina asked, "Then what are you doing here?" with a stern expression.James thought quickly and grabbed Felix. "We came to eat!"Felix immediately nodded. "Yes, we came to eat."Nina’s expression darkened. "This restaurant isn’t that big. How come I didn’t see you? And why were you in the kitchen breaking things?"She became more serious. "Aren’t you disrupting the restaurant’s business?"Both men fell silent."Did Nash send you to follow me?" Nina continued. "What’s his deal?""Well…"The two hesitated, not know how to respond."Where is he?""Captain isn’t here,"
On the second floor, she noticed a door that was slightly ajar. Nash must be inside. Nina rolled up her sleeves and pushed open the door with her cold and determined expression."Nash, stop being a coward. Can't you just be straightforward...?"Standing in the doorway, her eyes locked onto Nash sprawled on the floor. He looked utterly defeated, surrounded by empty bottles, still clutching one with some liquor left. It seemed he had been drinking all day.Nina had been furious, ready to confront him. She had planned to say the most hurtful things, aiming to crush his pride and make him feel worthless. But things did not go as she had imagined. Seeing Nash drunk and disheveled, any cruel words she had prepared now seemed pointless. He would not hear them anyway.However, she could not understand why Nash had drunk himself into such a state.Wasn't he supposed to be happy with Miranda? Hadn't he rid himself of her? He had humiliated her, boosting his own ego. He should be
Nina did not know how long she sat there, but a deep sadness enveloped her heart. Nash lay motionless in Nina’s arms. The room was quiet with only the sound of his steady breathing.She wanted to ask, but there were no answers. Perhaps she already knew without needing to ask.Eventually, Nina quietly left. This time, her feelings were different. There was more bitterness."Ma'am," James called out, seeing her come out silently. "Did you have a fight with Captain? Are you both okay?"Felix tugged at James's sleeve, signaling him to say less. Seeing Nina's pale face, it was clear things did not go well.Nina looked up at James and said, "Take good care of him." Then, she walked out the door.James stood there, sighing at the fate of two people who could not be together. It was like fate was playing a cruel joke.When Nina returned to the apartment, Wilfred was waiting for her."How did it go?" Wilfred asked. "Is everything okay?"Nina looked at Wilfred and asked, "Do you k
Scott returned home and began searching through all his documents, trying to learn about the organization called Nile. He wondered how he could get in touch with them and whether he had even a slim chance of obtaining the antidote.He spent the whole night searching. The organization was very secretive and operated in border countries to avoid sanctions. Some of the people who had been captured over the years spoke different languages and did not appear to be from the same ethnic group.At this moment, the door opened, and Scott's mother walked in. "Scott, what are you doing? Why is everything so messy?""I'm searching for information.""What kind of information is worth losing sleep over? You haven't slept, have you?" Scott's mother, who looked like a gentle and kind housewife, spoke softly. "You've been so busy with work these days, and now you don't rest. How can your body take it? Besides, Yasmine will be here soon. You need to be ready to spend time with her. Stop what you'r
Yasmine was taken aback by his questions. "I've heard people say that. Why do you ask?"Scott pressed on, "Can the Yaren people create antidotes for their own poisons?"Yasmine found his questions odd but answered patiently, "I don't know. My dad is from the Yaren tribe, so I have half Yaren blood, but I'm not very familiar with their ways. I've heard my dad say that the small country is very chaotic, with high and low castes."She pointed at a person in the newspaper. "They look like us but have darker skin. They're from the lower caste and have very low status. My dad is from the high caste."Scott knew little about this tribe. The small country was poor and backward, still ruled by a monarchy, and he had never visited it. He was not familiar with their civilization either.Scott made a decision that he wanted to go and see for himself. Maybe he would find something useful.Yasmine warned him, "It's very dangerous there. The people are not well-educated, and many curious touris
Nash rubbed his forehead. The pain was preventing him from focusing on their words. He could not remember what he had done last night. It felt too much like a dream. If Nina had come, at least he would have seen her. He could not continue to appear so disheveled."You two, leave," Nash said hoarsely, dismissing them."Yes!" They both promptly left.But within ten minutes, James reported from the doorway, "Captain, Miss Miranda is here!"Nash quickly washed up and changed his clothes. He felt a slight discomfort at the news but concealed it. "Have her wait downstairs," he said coldly.Miranda was in a good mood. She had secured the starring role in the most anticipated TV series adaptation, a major breakthrough for her career.If the drama became a hit, she would firmly establish herself in the entertainment industry. She came specifically to share this good news with Nash.After waiting for about twenty minutes, Miranda saw Nash coming down. She immediately greeted him, "Nas
Just as Ava was about to cause a scene, the sound of steady footsteps filled the room. Wilfred strode in, his white coat enhancing his composed, almost ethereal aura. Ava shot Karina a glare, silently committing her to memory, then begrudgingly found another seat. Wilfred’s gaze swept across the room, pausing ever so briefly on Karina before moving on. She wasn’t sure if it was real or just her imagination. “Today, we’ll discuss cellular structures. I’ll start with an example from my doctoral thesis,” Wilfred announced, adjusting the projector. To Karina’s surprise, he was an exceptional lecturer—clear, engaging, and far more comprehensible than many university professors. She listened intently, taking meticulous notes. Yvette peeked over at Karina’s notebook, wide-eyed at the densely packed writing. “Karina, when you eventually get promoted, land a big raise, or go for your doctorate, I promise I won’t be jealous. Truly.”Karina chuckled. “If you need these notes, I can len
Karina glanced at the time and quickly gestured for Yvette to sit down as well. However, barely had they taken their seats when a haughty woman marched up to Karina, her sharp gaze fixed on the chair she was sitting on. “You, get up. I want that seat!” Karina frowned, studying the unfamiliar woman. She didn’t recognize her from the hospital, but the designer jewelry around her neck and the branded bag on her arm screamed wealth. She seemed like the kind of entitled socialite who rarely had to fight for anything, let alone a seat.Unsure if the woman was trying to pick a fight or genuinely wanted the chair, Karina pointed to the open seats nearby. “There are plenty of seats over there. Take one of those.”Then, she lowered her head, dismissing the woman entirely.The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Excuse me? I said I want your seat. Get up. Now!” Not content with words alone, she reached out to pull Karina up by force. Karina, now genuinely angry, shook her off. “I was h
Karina looked slightly surprised. She distinctly remembered that Wilfred wasn’t a drinker. “I thought you avoided alcohol?” Wilfred, ever the epitome of control and composure, preferred to steer clear of anything that dulled his sharpness. Back when they worked at the Birkham Central Hospital, she had seen him reject bottles of expensive wine from people trying to curry favor with him. He sipped his tea slowly before replying, “You’ve started at a new hospital. As your former mentor, I haven’t given you a proper congratulatory gift yet.” “This is… for me?” Karina asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. Wilfred’s gaze was steady as he replied, “Don’t like it? If not, I can send it back and we can find something else later.” He raised his hand to call the server over. “Wait! No need. I like it a lot,” Karina interjected hastily, stopping him in his tracks. The idea of going gift shopping with him later felt uncomfortably like a date. And knowing Wilfred’s personality, w
Wilfred’s gaze swept over her without a word, and Karina climbed into the car on her own. When choosing her seat, she instinctively moved toward the back, but before she could get in, Wilfred spoke, “Sit in the front. It’s more convenient.” Karina hesitated briefly. Not wanting to appear overly particular, she complied and took the passenger seat. Although there was a saying that the front seat was reserved for a girlfriend, Wilfred didn’t strike her as someone who cared about such details. She decided to pretend she didn’t know. After buckling her seatbelt, a phone suddenly appeared in front of her. She looked up, her face full of confusion and surprise. Wilfred glanced sideways at her, one hand on the steering wheel, the car still stationary. “I haven’t decided on a restaurant yet. I’ll be driving soon. You pick something.” Karina took the phone. As Wilfred drove, she scrolled through the options, narrowing it down to three restaurants. But her mild indecisivenes
Karina forced a smile. “Really, it’s fine. You all go ahead.”Yvette pouted, her disappointment clear as she relented. “Alright then.”Once the others had left, Karina tried to refocus on work. She pulled out her research materials, determined to get something done. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, her thoughts kept wandering. The cheerful chatter from outside finally snapped her out of it, making her realize just how distracted she had been.Karina gave a wry smile and muttered to herself, “This is why you don’t get ahead of yourself. Seriously, one of life’s biggest delusions.”For a fleeting moment, she had thought Wilfred might feel something for her too. But it was better this way, she told herself—better to wake up now than to fall in too deep later. Romance wasn’t her strong suit; focusing on her career was safer.While others might drown their heartbreak in food or a night out, Karina chose the most grueling outlet: work. It might be exhausting, but it was effective. S
After hearing Wilfred’s response, the director could barely contain his excitement. He immediately signed the contract.As he finished, the director couldn’t help but remark, “Dr. Wilfred, I had a feeling you’d be a great ally for our hospital. And now I see I was absolutely right!”Wilfred replied in his usual composed tone, “Well, considering you’ve helped me solve a big problem, it’s only fair I return the favor.”The director froze for a moment. When had he ever helped Wilfred? He had no idea what Wilfred was referring to.Instinctively, he glanced at Karina, catching the fleeting surprise and uncertainty in her expression. Realization dawned, and he let out a hearty laugh. “Dr. Wilfred, you’re too kind! Honestly, Dr. Norman is so talented. She’s hardly a burden. If anything, we’re the ones benefiting.”The rest of the conversation blurred in Karina’s mind. Her thoughts were stuck on Wilfred’s earlier comment, delivered so casually yet carrying so much weight. Was it really
Karina froze for a moment, watching as Wilfred walked through the crowd toward her. He wasn’t wearing his white coat but casual clothes—a khaki turtleneck sweater that softened the sharp angles of his features, paired with tailored pants. The outfit gave off a relaxed, homely vibe, yet the air of aloofness surrounding him remained untouched. If anything, that distance only added to his allure, intensifying the crowd’s fascination and desire to get closer. Wilfred extended a hand to the hospital director. “Dr. Lincoln, thank you for personally greeting me.” “No need for thanks, Dr. Wilfred,” the director said with a chuckle. “It’s a privilege to have someone of your stature visit our hospital. As the director, it’s my duty to show the proper respect.” Their handshake was brief, followed by the usual pleasantries. Karina kept her gaze down, avoiding any indication of familiarity with Wilfred. She guessed he would prefer it that way, and her suspicion was confirmed when
For a moment, she wanted to ask Karina, "If you’re so eager to study, why don’t you just sign up for a class?" But seeing Karina’s confused expression, she swallowed her words and instead said, “It’s time to eat. You need to take care of yourself. Just the other day, I saw you taking medicine for your stomach pain.” Karina wanted to cover the phone, but it was too late. Wilfred had already heard everything. The other end of the line fell silent for a moment. Karina was a little afraid of this silence. After the female doctor left, she tried to explain, “I really have been eating well…” Wilfred interrupted, “Can you charge your meal card at the cafeteria? I’ll load it up for you with my account.” This way, he could get real-time notifications whenever she ate or didn’t eat. Karina recognized the firm tone in his voice and reluctantly accepted. After the meal card was loaded, with Wilfred constantly monitoring her meals, Karina never had to worry about skipping a
Harley replied, “The bottom line is, if you can't get it done, Wilfred will have to resign.”Boom!Karina felt like she had been struck by lightning, frozen in place for a moment. After the shock passed, overwhelming anger followed! She couldn’t believe that Wilfred had personally proposed it. She could tell how much he loved his profession, and there was no way he would voluntarily say he would give up his career. It had to be because they pressured him! However, Harley said, “You’ve got it wrong. It was definitely Wilfred who proposed it himself.” His gaze turned more meaningful. “That’s why I said, he cares about you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made so many exceptions for you.” Karina could barely process his words, her mind only echoing that one sentence that Wilfred cared about her.Just the thought of it felt like being burned, as though her heart was on fire. Her heart became a tangled mess, and she couldn’t bring herself to ask Wilfred directly. She cou