Hearing her voice, Nash's cold face showed a hint of reaction. He turned his head in her direction and, sure enough, saw Nina standing there.Nina quickly walked over, afraid they would miss each other if he got into the elevator. Seeing Nash pause, she felt relieved."Mrs. York," Quincy called respectfully.Nina frowned, staring at Nash. He remained silent, his eyes questioning what she was doing there.Nina stepped into the elevator and commanded, "You come in. The rest, stay out. I have something to discuss with him."Her authoritative tone left no room for argument, and no one dared to join them except Nash, who, despite his puzzled expression, followed her into the elevator.The elevator ascended to Nash's private floor. Once the doors opened, Nina silently walked towards his office, knowing Nash would follow.Once inside, she closed the door and confronted him, "Did you kidnap Miranda?"In the confined space between the door and Nash, she left him no room to move. Nash na
Nina's expression changed. She was worried about him, but he responded with such irresponsible words."Nash, do you even know what you're saying?"Nash laughed, "Is this your first day knowing me? This is who I am. Maybe I'll do something to hurt you in the future!"Looking at his unfamiliar face and hearing such words, Nina felt her worry was misplaced. She pushed him hard, anger etched on her face. "I've overthought everything. I see now you're beyond saving. Since you won't listen to reason, I won't waste my breath. Do whatever you want. I'm done!"Nash stumbled back a couple of steps, lowering his head so Nina couldn't see his face. She couldn't understand why they had come to this point, why Nash had changed so much. She felt like being here today was a joke.She was about to leave but then remembered why she came. She stopped and said, "I came here today to find Miranda and ask her if she was involved in luring me into the organization. You should know Miranda’s character be
"Am I dying? Why does it hurt so much?" Nina had never experienced pain like this before.Nash looked at her, sweat starting to bead on his forehead. "You're not dying. The baby is coming. Just hold on a little longer.""Ah!" Nina couldn't help but cry out in pain, her veins standing out as she looked at him. "Nash, this is your child. You have to take good care of him. His life depends on you."Nina knew that giving birth would take every last bit of her strength. As long as she could still breathe, she needed to make sure Nash would take care of their child.Nash looked at her without speaking. The scent of blood filled the air, and his eyes turned red as he took deep breaths.Seeing him silent, Nina assumed he hadn't agreed and continued, "This is your first child... Even if you marry someone else in the future, don't let him suffer... He only has you..."Tears streamed from Nina's eyes. Nash's grip on the car seat was so strong that he tore a deep gash into the upholstery.
Quincy soon returned with news."Nash, there’s a doctor here, an obstetrician with thirty years of experience."The doctor was a middle-aged woman with glasses, exuding an air of professionalism, which reassured them."Please save my wife. Ensure that both she and the baby are safe. I’ll pay whatever it takes!" Nash pleaded with the doctor, willing to give up everything for their safety."Let me through, quickly!" The doctor, focused and diligent, wasted no time and went straight to Nina.The traffic jam seemed unmovable for the time being.Nina was already bleeding. She had scheduled a C-section and was in contact with her doctor. Today, she planned to deal with Miranda and then head to the hospital for delivery. The unexpected onset of labor meant she had to deliver naturally. She desperately wanted Nash’s presence, her hands reaching out but failing to find him. She grabbed onto anything for support, crying out in pain.The doctor beside her tried to soothe her, "Don’t worr
As Nash spoke, his eyes turned completely red. He did not offer Nina any comforting promises about the baby. Her survival was essential. Nash knew himself well. Whether it was due to his physical condition or his feelings for Nina, he could not face raising a child without her.Nash's words ignited a fire within Nina. She could not afford to give in to despair. Gritting her teeth, she mustered all her strength, fighting against the pain and exhaustion."Nash, you bastard!" Nina growled through her gritted teeth. As she pushed with all her might, she felt the baby finally leave her body. The immense effort left her utterly drained, and she collapsed, her body going limp.A loud cry filled the car.The doctor lifted the newborn, announcing with relief, "It's a boy." The doctor then turned to Nash, showing him the baby. But the sight and smell of blood overwhelmed him. The tiny, defenseless baby, crying and vulnerable, triggered an intense, almost violent reaction in Nash. He clen
Nash immediately strode out with determined steps.---A long time passed.Nina felt like she was already dead. Surrounded by darkness, she couldn’t tell where she was, only that she was terrified. She didn't want to die. She hadn't heard her baby's cry and hadn't seen her baby's face. She didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, alive or dead. She had a strong will to survive, but her body was exhausted.She didn’t know how long she drifted in the void. Suddenly, she saw a dark figure, tall and indistinct, waiting ahead of her. Nina felt a chill of fear and asked, "Who are you?"The figure didn’t respond.Unsure, she asked again, "Are you here to take me to hell?"The figure remained silent.Nina started to think it was a statue. Then, it moved slightly. She felt a flutter of fear but also found it absurd. She was a ghost now. Why should she fear another ghost?She walked toward it. The figure turned around slowly, lifting its head. She saw a face without features, and she sc
Nina felt like she had walked to the gates of hell and scared herself awake. It was unbelievable, like a dream. As she tried to make sense of everything, the door opened again, and Nash walked in. He was dressed in a suit, tall and imposing, with chiseled features and deep eyes."Are you feeling any discomfort?" Nash asked calmly.Nina, excited, got out of bed again. "I'm fine. Have you seen our baby? The nurse said he's in an incubator, but I haven't been allowed to see him yet."Nash noticed she was barefoot and silently walked over, placing slippers in front of her. "I've seen him. He's very cute. His eyes look like yours, his nose like mine. He's quite lively, crying and fussing a lot. I think he'll be a mischievous boy."As he spoke, Nina began to imagine their child. A smile played on her lips as she slipped on the slippers. "Really? A mischievous boy sounds good. He won't get bullied, but we must educate him well so he doesn’t go astray.""Yes, I understand," Nash said, w
Nash gazed deeply at her, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Nina, you've always brought me surprises."Hearing this, Nina felt reassured. She grasped Nash's hand, her eyes welling up with tears. "Please, don’t disappoint me again, okay? The baby and I want a stable family, a healthy environment to grow up in. This isn’t too much to ask, is it? You’ve experienced it yourself, haven’t you?"Nash replied, "You won't forgive me."Nina furrowed her brows. "Why wouldn’t I forgive you? I know you’ve sacrificed a lot for me. Even if there were difficulties, as long as I can understand, I’m willing to believe in you.""Understood," Nash said softly. "Then I'll tell you the truth. You were right. I had held Miranda captive, but she's not here anymore. Don’t worry, I won't face any repercussions. I've made her pay for what she did to you."He smiled as he said this, as if avenging her brought him great satisfaction, making Nina feel uneasy."What did you do?" she asked.
At the time, Wilfred had already guessed that this had everything to do with Harley and his mentor, Professor Zeller. “You and your so-called association don’t focus on benefiting patients. Instead, you spend all your time trying to monopolize everything. And now you want to turn me into one of you? Keep dreaming.” Wilfred’s tone was filled with disdain, his eyes cold with contempt. The smug smile on Harley’s face slowly faded. With a sneer, Harley’s voice turned bitter. “You know what I despise most about you? That self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitude of yours. I was offering you advice, but if you don’t want to hear it, fine. There’s nothing more to say. After all, if the surgery fails—” Before he could finish the word “fail,” the surgical light outside the operating room flicked off. Clack!The sliding doors parted, and Karina burst through, her face flushed with emotion. She didn’t even notice Harley. Her focus zeroed in on Wilfred. “Wilfred!” Her voice trem
As the surgery approached, Karina worked overtime, meticulously double-checking for any possible oversights. Before stepping into the operating room, she took a deep breath."Karina, you’ve got this!" a nurse beside her encouraged.This surgery was particularly significant, and the assistants and nurses weren’t from her hospital. They were brought in by the project, specifically by Harley’s team. Without a single familiar face around, Karina felt a twinge of anxiety. Opportunities to lead surgeries were already rare for her, let alone under circumstances like this, with no one she could truly rely on.But there was no turning back now. Gritting her teeth, Karina donned her gloves. As she was about to enter the operating room, her peripheral vision caught sight of a figure standing silently in the distance. It was Wilfred. His steady gaze met hers, his eyes carrying something profound she couldn’t quite decipher. When their eyes locked, a faint smile curved his lips.In th
“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