"Miranda!"Her assistant finally arrived, holding an umbrella to shield her from the sun. But Miranda's dress was already dirty."Nina has no manners at all. Let me help you clean it," the assistant quickly knelt down, pulling out tissues to wipe the dress.Miranda glared in the direction Nina had left, her eyes wide with hatred. How dare she act so arrogantly when she was so sick! She would beg for mercy when her illness got worse.Miranda took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. "Let's go wait at Nash's villa."From the rearview mirror, Penelope saw Miranda's furious expression and could not help but smirk. "Give her an inch, and she'll take a mile. She's spoiled."Nina did not care about Miranda. Honestly, she did not even want to acknowledge her existence. It was Miranda who kept pushing, always trying to harm her."The weather is nice today. How about we set up a tent and go camping?" Nina suggested, noticing the bright sun."I think that's a great idea. Let's
The driver knocked Miranda unconscious, and slung her over his shoulder. He then got out of the car, and moved to another vehicle, disappearing from sight.---Nina was unconscious but vaguely felt the jostling, which almost made her vomit. When she woke up, she found her hands and feet bound and smelled a strong odor of gasoline. She was in a wooden house, and it seemed like there was someone else tied to the pillar behind her.Straining to turn her head, she saw the edge of the other person's clothes and recognized who it was.Miranda!Nina furrowed her brows. Why was she tied up with Miranda? Where were they? Despite her panic, Nina forced herself to stay calm.Since she and Miranda were both bound, it was clear that their captor was an enemy of them both, ruling out the possibility that Miranda had orchestrated this. If someone had a grudge against both of them, it was likely connected to Nash. Could it be related to the female corpse case?"Who is it? Who kidnapped
Miranda's face turned bright red from the slap, stunned into silence."Stop trying to intimidate me with his name. I've wanted to kill him for a long time!" Sawyer snarled. "If you don't want to die, keep your mouth shut, and maybe you'll live."This shut Miranda up completely.Nina's heart pounded, her hands slick with sweat. She was not alone in this. She had a child to think about, so she dared not make any rash moves."I'm surprised you're still alive," Sawyer sneered at Nina. "Looks like Nash has gone to great lengths for you."Nina responded with cold sarcasm, "Nash? What effort? Don't you know he dumped me? I'd love to kill him myself right now!"Sawyer glanced at Miranda again, laughing. "Looks like this woman has some tricks up her sleeve, just like her father!"Nina continued, "I don't understand why you kidnapped me. Even if you have a grudge against Nash, that has nothing to do with me. We have no conflict!""You and I have no conflict," Sawyer admitted, pacing in f
"Shut up!" Scarlett glared at Miranda. "My life belongs to Sawyer. I live only to serve him!""You're insane!" Miranda continued. "He's a fugitive now, and you're just a loyal dog!""Stuff her mouth!" Scarlett ordered immediately.Someone grabbed a dirty, foul-smelling rag and shoved it into Miranda's mouth."Mmmph..." Miranda gagged at the stench, feeling like she might vomit, but she could not break free.Scarlett looked at Nina, who met her gaze and saw a message in her eyes. Scarlett was not planning to help Sawyer this time. She intended to help Nina.Nina furrowed her brows and shook her head vigorously.Scarlett gave a reassuring smile, trying to put her at ease.Nina's heart was uneasy. She knew Scarlett wanted to get the antidote for her. Just like she had promised that day. But would the antidote be with Sawyer?Nina did not want Scarlett to take such a risk and she grabbed Scarlett's arm but Scarlett pulled away. Outside, gunfire and explosions erupted, mingled
Nina, bound and unable to struggle, had already been injected once and knew her fate. Her fear had diminished. She watched Nash, his tall figure standing out in the crowd. But the light that once shone for her in his eyes was gone.She felt a pang of sadness. He was no longer just Nash to her but Captain York, a man with a mission beyond protecting her. The love she once felt seemed absent, replaced by a sense of duty that did not include her. Her heart ached with an indescribable feeling of loss.Nash hesitated, delaying his decision, which only made Nina see reality more clearly."Hurry up and choose, or they both die!" Sawyer grew impatient, ordering his men to tighten their grip on Nina and Miranda, forcing Nash to make a choice.Nina felt uncomfortable, her body restricted, her breathing labored. Her face turned pale as she struggled to stay conscious.Miranda's eyes filled with tears as she shook her head, pleading silently with Nash. She looked pitiful and in desperate
After speaking, Scarlett turned to leave.Nina grabbed her hand. "What about you?"Scarlett replied, "I can protect myself. I need to help them!" She gave Nina a reassuring look.Nina hid in a small corner, a door shielding her in the darkness. Fear crept in, but she had to protect herself and her child, no matter the terror she felt. She hugged herself tightly, closed her eyes, and tried to endure. However, the gunfire outside kept her on edge, breaking out in a cold sweat.With her eyes shut, a memory suddenly flooded her mind.A thin girl with yellow hair, dressed in tattered clothes, smiled. Her face was dirty as she said, "Why don't you talk? There aren't many living people here. It's so boring if you stay silent.""Aren't you afraid?""Not anymore," the girl replied. "I've been here since I was little. I've seen too many dead people. I'm not scared anymore. I don't even know when it will be my turn.""You won't die! You can't die!""It's okay," the girl smiled. "My par
Nash squinted. He remained silent, but his eyes turned fierce."Hahaha." Sawyer found it amusing that such a righteous man would take a path of no return for a woman. But his gloating was short-lived as Nash kicked him hard in the stomach.Sawyer clutched his aching stomach and decided to forsake fair play. He suddenly reached for a mini pistol at his waist. Nash instinctively dodged.However, Sawyer's true aim wasn't to kill Nash but to inject Miranda with the poison. As he moved quickly toward her, Miranda panicked."Watch out!" Nash shouted, lunging from the other side to tackle Sawyer.Sawyer could not retract the needle in time, and it plunged into Nash's shoulder.Miranda's eyes widened in horror, her body struggling frantically, muffled cries escaping her lips, "Mmm..."But it was too late. Sawyer paused for a moment, then laughed even harder. "Nash, you’re a lovesick fool! Hahaha..."The injection disrupted Nash's nervous system, causing his head to spin and his body to
Scarlett coughed up blood, grabbing Sawyer's pant leg. "The antidote..."Sawyer narrowed his eyes, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "There is no antidote, Scarlett. After all these years, how could you still be so easily deceived?"Scarlett's eyes widened in shock. "You don't have the antidote...""KA48 has no antidote!" Sawyer laughed, gripping Scarlett's throat. "Go join your fallen comrades!"He intended to kill Scarlett. She was stunned that the antidote was a lie."You...you tricked me!" The light faded from her eyes. Summoning all her strength, she fought off Sawyer's hand and quickly pulled out a knife, aiming for his eye.Sawyer dodged, but not before his face was slashed.Scarlett's eyes were filled with hatred. Despite her broken leg, she stood up with sheer willpower. "You never told me the truth. Was it also a lie that my parents sold me?"Sawyer wiped his face and sneered. "Anyone who comes here either lives or dies. Who knows who their parents are!"Sca
“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