The chief looked at Nina and her team, clearly wanting to end the confrontation quickly. Nina stopped engaging with Miranda, realizing she could not expect any answers from Nash. His actions showed he was fully on Miranda's side, making their already difficult path even more challenging.Once inside, the door closed firmly behind them. Miranda grumbled, "She's just trying to curse me, wishing me ill!"Then she turned to Nash, feeling pleased, "Good thing you stood up for me, otherwise I'd be bullied."Nash reassured her, "Don't worry, their drama series won't make it to TV."Miranda felt a sense of satisfaction, "Nash, you're so sharp. You found a flaw that kept them off the air."Nash remained silent. But Miranda was immersed in her love for him and continued, "I talked to my dad, and we should have dinner together sometime."Nash squinted slightly, "When?""I'll check with him and let you know."Meanwhile, in the chief's office, Nina asked again, "Chief, is there really
"Got it!" Nash was waiting to find out the exact location of Seth Duncan. This man had vanished after being released from prison! His counter-surveillance skills were exceptional, and he had not surfaced on anyone's radar during this period.Even though Miranda never mentioned their connection, it was undeniable. The only person Seth could contact was his daughter. Miranda's involvement was even more obvious. Pharaoh's poison reaching her hands had to be related to Seth. Nash had to find him, and Miranda was the bait.Just then, another call came in. "Mr. York, the number is now disconnected. The last time it was used was at a phone booth."Nash expected this outcome but still hoped to catch a break. If Seth had not switched SIM cards, he might have been able to track him down. This only confirmed that Seth was meticulous and not easily fooled. They needed bait to lure him out.---In the dead of night, Seth moved in a specific direction. Fully equipped, he blended into
Seth's eyes were cold and piercing. "What about those female corpses?"Sawyer's expression stiffened as he downed a glass of wine. "How should I know? You don't think it was me, do you?"Seth replied, "Pharaoh has ordered us not to make any moves until he gives the word. You know the consequences of disobeying him.""Pharaoh isn't even in the country."Seth sensed the underlying message. "So, you're admitting it?"Sawyer smiled. "That's not what I said. There's no proof it was me. But Seth, we've been working together for years, as equals. Despite my hospitality and offer to share my territory, you show up and start accusing me. That's not very fair, is it?"Seth sneered. "Are you planning to betray the organization?"Sawyer's expression darkened. "Now you're just assigning guilt without proof!"Seth continued, "You're back to your old tricks, dealing in organ trafficking. I can't help but suspect you're trying to set yourself up as the new ruler, planning to betray the organiz
Seth did not say anything more. But seeing Sawyer's smug expression, thinking Seth was under his control, irritated Seth greatly."Equal partners? No need for that!" Seth refused, knowing well that Sawyer's words were just a façade. He had no intention of becoming complicit with him. "You can keep your crown."Sawyer, seeing Seth so compliant, did not press the issue. He knew he had Seth’s weakness firmly in his grip. No matter how loyal Seth was to Pharaoh, he had to think of a way to protect his own life and his daughter’s life too.With this understanding, Sawyer felt that Seth's release from prison posed no real threat to him.As Seth left, his face was dark with brooding thoughts. Sawyer watched him go, a sly grin playing on his lips."Are you really going to let him go? Aren’t you afraid he’ll snitch?" one of Sawyer’s men asked."He won't dare," Sawyer replied confidently. "Besides, if we move against him, Pharaoh will start asking questions."He could not afford to kill S
Miranda smiled gently. "It's settled then. Nash will be pleased.""When you're heading back, be cautious. It's not safe in the city right now with those female body cases popping up," Seth warned her.Mentioning this, Miranda asked, "Dad, has the organization mobilized again? I've overheard Nash discussing it with his men."Seth looked up, surprised. "Nash is investigating this?"Miranda nodded. "Yes, he is."A sudden idea struck Seth, and he started to smile. "In that case, give him a tip. It might help him solve the case quickly."---"I can't sit still. I'm going crazy with anxiety!" Nelly said as she paced back and forth, unable to stay seated."What's the rush? It hasn't even started yet, and you've never been this nervous before," Nina remarked."You don't understand. This is my baby. Of course, I want it to do well. The uncertainty is what's making me anxious!" Nelly replied."Sit down," Nina urged, pulling her into a chair. "Whether it succeeds or not, we'll find out
Yvonne was trying to lift everyone's spirits, but no one seemed to be able to muster any enthusiasm. The high expectations they had set for themselves had not been met, and naturally, their confidence had plummeted.Nelly was beginning to doubt herself, her eyes red with tears. "Maybe my script is just terrible. Why can’t it compete with theirs? I tried so hard!"Her confidence was severely shaken."Of course not!" Nina immediately reassured her. "We barely did any marketing. The buzz is naturally low. It’s just the beginning. Let’s give it a few days and see how it goes."Nelly choked up, "I thought it would do well right out of the gate.""This is good," Nina said, looking at the comments. "The viewers are saying the storyline is fresh and exciting and that they can’t wait for more.""But the ratings aren’t there!" Nelly said, frustrated. "We’re only in second place on the platform, and there’s a huge gap. What good are good reviews without high ratings?""It will go up," Ni
Even though they were divorced, having such a dream still left Nina terrified. With that, she completely lost any desire to sleep. She turned on the light, struggled to sit up while holding her belly. She then got out of bed to drink a glass of water. She picked up her phone and started scrolling through the news online. At this moment, it seemed to be the fastest way for her to get updates from the outside world. There was no progress on the case of the murdered women, but her worries persisted. She thought of Wilfred. Since she last saw him in his studio, she had not seen him again. Busy with work, she had not noticed if there was any movement next door. She opened the door. Now, in the dead of night, even a pin dropping could be heard. Standing at Wilfred's door, she did not know how to face him. She knew her life was hanging by a thread and she did not want to drag them down, yet she could not help but worry. These conflicted feelings were hard to manage.It was as if Wi
Nina was still a bit groggy and she asked in a hoarse voice, "What made it?""The drama," Nelly said excitedly. "We've made a comeback!"Nina was instantly wide awake. She sat up quickly and grabbed her phone to check the news about their drama. Yesterday it was ranked second, but today it had climbed to first place. The viewership had multiplied several times overnight, and the reviews were getting better and better. It was breaking real-time popularity records.Nina could not help but feel a huge surge of joy. If the popularity continued to rise and the storyline held up, things would only get better. The worry that had been weighing on her lifted, and she felt a wave of happiness. Hard work did pay off. If one put in enough effort, dreams would indeed come true.She quickly got ready to meet up with the others. She ran into Wilfred downstairs, who was driving his car. He rolled down the window. "Where are you headed? I'll give you a ride."Nina, in a good mood, did not
“Ava.”A deep voice cut through the air, and Karina turned to see a man in a black suit, wearing a hat and a mask, striding toward them. But the man’s white eyelashes and distinctive eyes were all Karina needed to recognize him. He was her albino patient, Xavier Jasper!Xavier also didn’t expect to run into both Wilfred and Karina here. “It’s you two,” he exclaimed in surprise.Wilfred’s gaze sharpened as he calmly addressed Xavier. “Keep your sister in line. Apologize.”Before Xavier could respond, Ava stepped forward and, to everyone’s surprise, said, “I’m sorry. I was too impulsive. Please forgive me.” Karina was taken aback by how quickly Ava apologized. Even Xavier, who knew his sister’s arrogant tendencies well, looked stunned.Karina nodded, her tone steady but firm. “I forgive you, but that doesn’t mean everyone else will. You should work on your attitude. Stop acting so entitled everywhere you go.” With that, Karina turned on her heel and walked away. Although Xavie
”Those were her meticulously compiled notes, the result of hours of hard work—and now they were ruined just like that?” Karina thought.“I’ve never wronged you. Why would you do something like this?” she demanded, her voice trembling with indignation. Something about the situation felt off, and Karina’s sharp intuition told her this wasn’t a simple misunderstanding.Under Karina’s intense gaze, the nurse finally broke down, revealing Ava’s role in orchestrating the whole thing. Karina’s anger turned into a mix of rage and incredulous amusement. “Really? Rich people—did they all enjoy throwing money around like this?”All this trouble, just to ruin her hard-earned work over a seat?Her carefully compiled notes were gone, and there wasn’t a second copy. Arguing wouldn’t bring them back, but Ava wasn’t going to let this slide without giving someone a piece of her mind.Finding Ava wasn’t difficult. In fact, Ava didn’t even try to avoid her. She seemed to be waiting, eager to see
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