The woman froze the moment she saw the military vehicle. Nina held her breath. She stared at the military vehicle, hoping to see Nash’s face. She wished they could meet right then and there.To her disappointment, several unfamiliar, bronze-skinned faces emerged from the vehicle. They were foreign soldiers. The woman, clutching her child, started gesturing wildly and pointed at Nina, blaming her for everything.The men strode towards Nina with imposing presence, making her feel small in comparison."Do you have a weapon?" one of the men asked in broken English."I do, but I haven’t harmed anyone. The child choked on the bread I gave him, but I didn’t do anything malicious. If you want your child to live, you should step aside and let me help," Nina said calmly, meeting the man's gaze.She had merely pitied the child, but the murderous look in the woman’s eyes was clear in her memory. Initially, she had wanted to ensure the children were fed and clothed, and then ask Scarlett to ex
She was still talking.Nina, having once carried a child for ten months and briefly been a mother, understood the bond between a mother and her child. The woman had acted fiercely out of desperation for her child. The child was innocent.Nina couldn’t bear to watch anymore. She picked up the child and performed the Heimlich maneuver. Initially, there was no response, but then the child began to cough violently, and finally, the piece of bread causing the choking was expelled.The woman’s eyes filled with tears of joy. She clasped her hands together and said, "Thank you, thank you..." Even though Nina couldn’t understand, she felt the gratitude."I only did it for your child," Nina said flatly, with July translating for her.However, she hadn’t expected such a simple emergency procedure to attract the attention of the soldiers. They quickly surrounded Nina."Come with us," the soldier who spoke broken English commanded."No! You can't take her!" Scarlett jumped in front of Nina
This car was different from the military vehicle. It was an off-road vehicle. Covered in dust and mud, the front end was severely dented from a significant impact. The door opened.James got out first and went to the back seat to open the door. "Captain, we've arrived in Kiewarra. I found a hotel where we can stay. I'll send the address so they can meet us here.""Okay," Nash responded hoarsely.He attempted to get out of the car, his brows furrowed deeply. Seeing this, James quickly reached out to support him. With James's help, Nash got out of the car. In the sunlight, his face looked almost ghostly pale, with visible veins on his skin.Felix parked the car and caught up with them. At the front desk, James retrieved the room key, and Felix said, "I'll go buy some food and some hemostatic medicine. You guys wait in the room."They split up, not noticing that the previous occupants of the room were Nina and Scarlett.Twenty minutes later, Felix returned with the hemostatic medici
Nash ended the call, clutching his phone with a mix of hesitation and determination before dialing Nina's number. However, due to the ongoing movement of the vehicle Nina was in, there was no signal.When Nash tried calling, he was met with an automated message, "The number you have dialed is not in service. Please try again later…"The area was a war zone, chaotic and dangerous. A single misstep could result in being caught in the crossfire. How could Nina dare to venture here?"Captain, don't worry. I'll notify our contacts to find her. As soon as we have any information, we'll inform you immediately. You need to rest now. Otherwise, we can't coordinate with others, and the mission will be compromised," James, standing by Nash, overheard the call and saw Nash's worried expression. Nash was always composed, except when it came to Nina. James had seen him anxious only a few times, all involving Nina. Nash truly cared about her."We must act quickly," Nash insisted, wanting to sea
They were in the vast expanse of the desert, with no end in sight. The driver planned to go for help, but it was unclear how long that would take. Camels were the best means of transport in the desert.Nina had an idea, but before she could voice it, Moana suddenly waved and called out, her child mimicking her actions. July said, "She's calling for them."Nina remained silent, watching as a group of people on camels approached them. Moana gestured and pointed at Nina, and she could feel their scrutinizing gaze turn into suspicion.After negotiating with them for a couple of minutes, Moana ran back to Nina, excitedly saying a lot. July translated, "Miss Nina, she says these people are from her tribe. We can ride the camels to leave the desert.""Good," Nina agreed. She wanted to leave the desert and find a place to stay before continuing to Yaren.The driver, overhearing the conversation, said, "The car breaking down isn't my fault, but if you leave on the camels, I won't refund
Scarlett took the bottle and held Nina's cheeks, pouring the black liquid into her mouth.Nina coughed violently as the bitter, pungent taste hit her. It woke her up but leaving her weak and slumped over the camel’s hump. Scarlett, worried about her, called out, "Nina, are you okay? Can you hear me?""Yes," Nina replied weakly, feeling like a dying fish.Scarlett, fearing Nina might fall, kept her arm around her waist. Eventually, even Scarlett began to feel faint. She had also drunk the bitter tree juice, which had a strong and overwhelming taste. It was only thanks to July and Moana that they managed to make it out of the desert.As they emerged from the desert, they reached a barren land. The temperature difference between day and night was extreme. They set up camp, built a fire, and pitched their tents. While they had food, they had no water left.Gathered around the fire, warming themselves, Moana handed them a water bag. "We can’t go any further today. It’s another thre
There were at least ten wild wolves surrounding them. If it weren't for the guns they had, they would have been devoured by wolves that night.However, the locals’ diet, beliefs, and experiences were all different. They even started skinning the wolves right away and roasting the meat over the fire.One of the women offered Nina a wolf leg, but Nina waved it away. She couldn’t eat it, especially with the smell of wolf blood filling her nostrils.Scarlett handed her the last of their bread and some of the black tree leaf juice the woman had given them in the desert. Just a whiff of the juice made Nina feel more alert.She tried to use her phone, but there was still no signal. They had to spend the night here and then travel another three hours tomorrow to reach the populated area, still far from Yaren. When would she finally see Scott and Nash?Hugging herself, Nina looked up at the sky. The stars and the moon were clearly visible.Meanwhile, Nash was also in a grim mood. He had
Nash was resolute. "This minor injury won’t hinder me.""Alright, I’ll make the arrangements," James replied, understanding that Nash wouldn’t be at ease until Nina was found. So, they set off for Yaren that very night.---Nina couldn't sleep. As the night went on, the temperature dropped significantly, and everyone around her gradually fell asleep. The fire couldn't stay lit all night, so she reluctantly crawled into the tent.Scarlett was also awake, so despite Nina's efforts to move quietly, she noticed the slight noise."Get some sleep, Nina. We have a long journey ahead, and you need to preserve your strength. Besides, you heard Scott’s recording."Nina was surprised. "Why aren’t you asleep?"Scarlett had been expending more energy than Nina and yet hadn’t slept. It must have been because she, too, had a lot on her mind."I can’t sleep knowing you’re still awake. Besides, even if you do sleep, I’ll be on guard. I understand how you feel, but we’re here now, and you must
But instead of feeling touched, Vera’s first reaction was nausea. A wave of discomfort surged up from her stomach, and Vera’s face paled. She bolted for the bathroom. Caleb followed quickly. “Are you feeling sick?” “I don’t think so. I’ve been eating normally—nothing too heavy or weird lately.” Vera clutched her stomach, just as confused as he was. Then, a possibility flashed through her mind. Caleb clearly had the same thought. Without a word, he turned and walked into their bedroom, returning moments later with a pregnancy test. Vera looked at him, stunned. “When did you buy that?” He responded matter-of-factly, “Better safe than sorry.” Vera was momentarily speechless. Five minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. It was positive. They had only been married for three months. How did this happen so fast?Caleb, on the other hand, remained composed—at le
Of course, Vera wasn’t about to dump all her responsibilities on her assistant. That would be exploitation. She called her assistant into her office. “You’re twenty-five this year, right?” Her assistant blinked, confused. Wasn’t her age common knowledge? Why was Vera suddenly bringing it up? A thought struck her. Was this an arranged marriage situation? Her face immediately filled with silent refusal. “Miss Vera, I’m still young. I’m not thinking about marriage anytime soon.” Vera tapped her pen against the desk. “I’m not telling you to get married.” “Oh.” “I just want to offload some of the smaller daily tasks to you. You don’t have to run every minor document by me.”Her assistant instantly understood. A raise. After confirming she was on board, Vera gave her a salary bump and had her hire a few more assistants to distribute the workload. “If I don’t have time to handle everything, you guys will take care of it. If something’s too complicated, jus
Vera could sense danger the moment the conversation turned in this direction. Her father had never questioned her about married life, and she was lucky enough to avoid nosy relatives. But just because she hadn’t experienced it firsthand didn’t mean she hadn’t seen it happen to others. Without hesitation, she abandoned the half-folded pastry in her hands. “I... uh, need to use the restroom.” Before she could escape, Mrs. Smith caught her wrist. “You and Caleb aren’t getting any younger,” she said matter-of-factly. “You should start thinking about kids—make sure you’re putting in the effort, hmm?” Vera left the kitchen visibly drained. Mrs. Smith was a wonderful mother-in-law, the kind who treated Vera like her own daughter. Despite knowing Vera came from a well-off family, she had still gifted them a house as a wedding present. Of course, Caleb already owned a place, but his mother had insisted. “That’s your house. This is the home I’m giving you as a weddi
That undeniable possessiveness flickered in Caleb’s gaze—subtle yet impossible to ignore. It was the kind of look a powerful man might give his beloved in an old Hollywood film. And right now, the photographer felt like the unlucky bystander who had accidentally stumbled upon an intimate scene. His voice wavered slightly, caught up in his own imagination. “Mr. Smith, lift your eyes toward the camera.” Caleb’s sharp gaze flickered over, intense and commanding. The photographer instinctively pressed the shutter. They continued with several more poses, reviewing the shots as they went. Vera loved them all, but her favorite was still the vintage-inspired one. “How long until we get the final prints?” she asked. “Two to three days at most,” the photographer replied. “I’ll have them shipped directly to you.” Then, after a slight pause, he hesitated before making a request. “I actually have a personal favor to ask—would you both be open to letting us displa
Vera was tempted. They had already taken plenty of wedding photos—several sets at the island, more at the wedding itself. But this wasn’t just any photo studio. It was privately booked and known for being one of the most prestigious studios in the city. Appointments here were nearly impossible to get. The fact that Caleb had managed to secure a session meant he had gone to great lengths to make it happen. If they were just going to take ordinary wedding pictures, it would be a waste of an opportunity. Still, she wasn’t sure what kind of shoot she wanted. The photographer, understanding her hesitation, pulled out a sample album. “You can take a look at our past work. These are some of the styles we’ve done.” Flipping through the pages, Vera saw an array of stunning concepts—each picture more breathtaking than the last. Then, one particular set caught her eye. A Golden Age Hollywood theme.It was classic, nostalgic, and beautifully atmospheric. “Ca
After the wedding, Vera considered taking some time off for a honeymoon. But the thought quickly faded when she realized Caleb had been practically living at the hospital. With a sigh, she dismissed the idea. She was used to it, but to say she wasn’t disappointed would be a lie. Her assistant picked up on it. “Mrs. Smith, don’t you want to go on a honeymoon?” she asked one day. “One of my friends just got married, and she’s been obsessively researching destinations. “She even said a marriage without a honeymoon is already half a failure.” Vera froze mid-page, suddenly losing interest in the documents she had been reviewing. Her assistant hesitated, then offered a suggestion. “Why don’t you go visit Dr. Smith at work?“You seem… distracted. Maybe seeing him will help.” Vera snapped out of her daze, suddenly aware of how preoccupied she had been lately. It was embarrassing to admit, but she had been zoning out far too often—especially after coming hom
Whenever they did this in the past, Caleb always maintained some restraint. But tonight—he didn’t hold back at all. He took her from the bedroom to the bathroom, then back to the bed, his searing kisses trailing every inch of her skin. The next morning, even as she woke up, Vera could still feel the lingering traces of last night’s intoxicating pleasure. As expected, she ended up taking the day off. It wasn’t until two days later that she finally returned to work. *Everyone at the company had already prepared for this. The moment Vera walked into the office, she was greeted with knowing smiles and teasing remarks. “Congratulations, Mrs. Smith!” “Newlywed bliss, huh?” “Three whole days off? Someone had a good time.” It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she had been up to. Obviously, her married life was going exceptionally well—so well that she had completely abandoned work for it. Under the weight of their mischievous stares, Vera barely k
Yelena still hadn’t accepted Hunter, but he wasn’t giving up either and was relentlessly closing in on her. Knowing Yelena’s soft heart, Vera figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in. She let out a sigh. Her friend’s love life wasn’t something she could interfere with. Besides, Caleb had already given her a little inside scoop. “She came to the hospital for a follow-up a few days ago,” he had mentioned casually. “Hunter was the one who brought her.” Vera had clicked her tongue at the news. Yelena always seemed quiet and reserved, but apparently, she was full of surprises.*Time flew by in the blink of an eye.By mid-month, Caleb had rented out an entire vineyard and spent several days transforming it into the perfect wedding venue.When the day arrived, the celebration took place right there.The vineyard was sprawling and elegant, every bit as grand as any luxury hotel—if not better. Even the wine cellar remained untouched, stocked with years-
“Did you plan this from the start?” Vera narrowed her eyes, feeling like she had just walked into a carefully laid trap. “Mm.” Caleb smiled, then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Because yes—he had always been planning this. The biggest change in Vera’s life after the island proposal was the ring now sitting on her finger. It wasn’t just any ring. It was custom-made, something Caleb had specially ordered. She only found out by accident when she glanced at his phone one day and saw the purchase record. It had been ordered two months ago. Vera did the math and was stunned. He had been preparing for this long before she even started getting impatient. Her heart swelled with emotion. And as soon as Caleb’s parents heard that their son had finally proposed, they wasted no time pushing them to get the marriage license. *One day, Vera overheard Caleb’s mother lecturing him. “Your dad and I weren’t expecting much from you. With how much ti