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
Scarlett's fingers twitched as she opened her tired eyes and saw Nina's face. She grabbed Nina's hand tightly.Nina noticed and looked at her again. "Scarlett!"Scarlett's weak voice whispered, "So cold..."Nina held her close. "I'll hold you. You won't be cold. You won't be cold.""Am I dying?" Scarlett asked weakly. "I'm sorry. I couldn't find the antidote for you... I... cough, cough...""It’s okay, it’s okay!" Nina said. "Don't talk. The ambulance is here. I'll get you on it, and you'll be fine."Scarlett's eyes started to glaze over. She spoke faintly, "Don't be sad for me. We didn't have much connection. It was all for Wilfred. Living is exhausting. It’s kind of nice that I won’t have to struggle to survive anymore."Her life felt like it should never have started. There was no joy, only constant helplessness. No family, alone, and no one to love her. Living had lost its meaning. "Now you can live well," Nina said, trying to ignite Scarlett's will to survive. "Sawyer is
Nina could not find the words to express her sympathy for Scarlett. There were so many people suffering in this world, and her time in the dark room seemed insignificant in comparison. At least she had family, while Scarlett had never known warmth. It made her heart ache and filled her with immense sadness.Nina was placed on another stretcher and carried away. She and Scarlett were taken in different vehicles. As she looked out, she saw that the situation was under control. The gunfire had ceased, and the criminals were being apprehended. Many police cars had arrived, and the scene was being cleaned up.Sawyer, the ringleader, had been captured. His head was covered with a black hood, and his hands were shackled. He limped, his body bearing various injuries. Nina also saw James and Felix hurrying out, their faces stern. However, Nash was nowhere to be seen.Nina was filled with questions. Why wasn't he there? Usually, James and Felix would be by his side. Maybe Nash was b
They ran after the car but were quickly left behind. Through the rearview mirror, Miranda saw Nash in the back seat. His tremors were lessening, which made her even more anxious. She feared his life was slipping away."Hang in there, Nash! Stay with me, we're almost there. I will save you, just hold on!" Miranda shouted, trying to keep him conscious.She wouldn't let him die! As long as he held on, she would find an antidote. Miranda drove through winding paths, from the forest to the bustling city, and finally to a remote area. She screeched to a halt at an abandoned factory.The sight of the unfamiliar car on surveillance immediately raised alarms.Miranda jumped out and shouted, "Dad, it's me! Help!"She rushed to the back seat and struggled to lift Nash out. People began emerging from the abandoned factory. They were Seth's trusted men.Seth, observing from the surveillance room, did not panic upon seeing the car. He knew it was Miranda and Nash. This whole situation was
Shelves lined with bottles and jars, test tubes filled with colorful liquids, and the bubbling sound of distillation surrounded them. This was just a part of Seth's lab, which contained both poisons and antidotes. Each was labeled with a code, not a name. The lab housed at least a dozen researchers, fully geared up and working diligently. Nash was placed on a sofa, unconscious.---Nina was taken to the hospital for a full-body check-up. Apart from some scrapes, she was fine. Thanks to Scarlett's protection, she had survived the ordeal. She worried about Scarlett, who had always expressed her loneliness and isolation. Even in the operating room, Scarlett was alone, with no one to visit her. Nina did not want her to be alone and wanted to provide her with some warmth.Nina waited outside the operating room, hoping that when Scarlett woke up, she would see someone who cared about her. Maybe that would give her more hope to live. After three hours, Scarlett was wheeled out
Nina's questioning left James somewhat flustered. "Ma'am, you're overthinking it," James decided to stick to the cover story, which was also Nash's wish. "Captain has official business to handle. It's normal for you not to see him."Nina asked again, "What about Miranda?"James replied, "That, I don't know."Seeing that James did not want to say more, Nina had to stop her questions."Can I stay with Scarlett?" Nina asked."Um... well..." James hesitated."Is it not allowed?" Nina looked at James."It's allowed," James relented, "but Scarlett cannot leave the room without our permission, and you will have to undergo checks when entering and leaving. Those are our rules."As a soldier, James was somewhat rigid, but Nina understood the need for protocol and replied, "I understand."She entered the room, with James watching from outside. He was anxious, still waiting for news from Nash, unsure when they could move forward. Every moment was agonizing, but he knew they could 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