Arin was describing a romantic scene she had read in a novel, almost too sweet to handle. However, Nina couldn't feel the same way. Her relationship with Nash was mostly bittersweet. Seeing Arin so animated, Nina couldn't help but tap her on the forehead and tease, "Aren't you the one who likes Mr. Micah? Why are you switching sides now? You better not throw another mouse at me!"Arin stopped immediately. "Oh, come on! I was just messing with you. Don't hold a grudge. Besides, Mr. Micah and Captain York are totally different."She looked at Nina, then burst into laughter. "Mr. Micah is gentle and kind to everyone, but Captain York? He seems to have a soft spot just for you.""How can you tell? He seems kind to everyone."Arin thought for a moment. "Well, maybe you're right, but Captain York always looks so cold. He only warms up to you. Mr. Micah is gentle with everyone, so we all like him."Talking about Mr. Micah seemed to give Arin plenty to say. Meanwhile, Nash was followi
Chana wasn't the only one covered in dirt. Her child was also grimy and tear-streaked, looking as if they had just finished crying. Nash’s attention wasn't on Chana but fixed coldly on James. James lowered his head, feeling guilty for agreeing to Chana's plan. "Captain, I know I was wrong.""You'll be doing all the chores tonight," Nash ordered sharply."Yes, sir!"With that, they continued forward. However, since Chana had injured her leg, she couldn’t walk far and had to be carried by a soldier.Arin noticed and commented to Nina, "I haven’t seen that woman before, and she has a child with her. Looks like she’s one of the women they rescued."Nina nodded, "Probably. There are a lot of refugees along the way."Arin added, "So many refugees, why bring her along? She’s just slowing them down.""Don’t say that," Nina chided gently, aware of Arin's blunt nature.Riding on the soldier's back, Chana kept her eyes on Nash, biting her lip. She urged the soldier to catch up with him.
James realized how foolish he had been.Seeing Nina's presence and still doubting if she would come made James feel foolish. He thought she was just a stand-in. It definitely didn't make him look very smart."Of course, I knew," James said. "But I didn’t have the chance to see you. By the way, where’s Scarlett? Didn’t she come with you?"Nina’s face fell at the mention of Scarlett. "We got separated. I don’t know where she is now. I need to find her."James paused, then reassured her, "We’ll find her eventually. With her experience, she should be alright."Nina wasn’t sure if Scarlett was dead or alive, or if she had managed to escape. Ultimately, she needed to find a way to infiltrate the Pharaoh’s territory.Behind them, Chana noticed their close conversation and the way Nash looked at Nina. Seeing Nina’s fair skin and features, she quickly deduced that this was the woman James had mentioned. Previously, Chana was the only woman among them. Despite being in the village, Nina’
"Hi, I'm Nina," she introduced herself.Nash cut their conversation short, saying, "Alright, let's move."The child had calmed down, thanks to one of the women. Chana remained in the group, her eyes constantly drifting toward Nina and Nash, monitoring their interactions.Seeing a chance, she pulled out a handkerchief she had embroidered. "Captain, you're sweating. Let me help you wipe it off."As she reached out, Nash turned his head, avoiding her touch. "No need."Embarrassed, Chana apologized, "I'm sorry, Captain. I just wanted to help."Nash pursed his lips, ignoring her. Chana felt a pang of awkwardness, unsure of how to bridge the gap between them.Nina noticed their interaction, seeing that Chana and Nash had spent quite a bit of time together. It was evident from the way Chana offered to wipe his sweat.As Nina was pondering this, Nash suddenly said, "You wipe my sweat."He clearly wanted Chana to see this. Chana's face fell, her hands clenching tightly."Huh?" Nina wa
The conditions alone made her heart flutter with joy. She didn't want to endure the hardships of war any longer. Back then, she had been quite a beauty, and it was her looks and talent that had allowed her to marry a man from Birkham.But then she glanced at Nina. She couldn't just sit and do nothing."Nina, come change your clothes. They're soaked through," one of the older women called out.Arin said, "You can wear my clothes. We're about the same size.""Alright," Nina replied, finishing up with the herbs in her basket.They had their own unique clothing, made from fabric they wove and sewed themselves. It looked a bit like traditional minority attire, with colorful designs representing their customs and culture. Nina found their clothes beautiful.After changing, Arin exclaimed, "Wow, Nina, you look stunning! Our clothes make you even prettier!""Really?" Nina was unsure but felt a bit shy from the compliment."Absolutely! You should show Captain!" Arin said excitedly, push
Nina did not care what Nash thought. She was just stating the truth. They were practically strangers now, so there was no reason to stick to just one option. She needed to show him that she didn't rely solely on him. Ignoring Nash's gaze, she linked arms with Arin and walked away. Arin still thought it was a good opportunity, but things hadn't turned out as she hoped.---In a grand, old building made of bamboo and wood, nestled among mountains, rivers, and bamboo groves, the environment was serene and exuded an ancient charm. The large structure, several hundred square meters in size, had intricately carved wooden walls.Inside, a woman's voice called out, "Brother."A man was in the study, which was enormous, with seven or eight-meter-high walls lined with bookshelves, filled with a variety of books. Hearing the woman's voice, the man's face remained expressionless as he focused on his reading."Brother," the woman said excitedly as she entered the room and saw him. "You c
Ivy asked him again, "Is he like this with everyone?""I don't interact with him much, but he's usually like this, not caring about much," Wes replied, trying to comfort her.This made Ivy feel a bit better. She asked, "Where does he go when he's not here?""He likes to wander around the nearby villages.""He has the leisure for that? What's so interesting about those places?""His thoughts are different from most people.""And Dad doesn't mind?"She wished her father would control him more. Who else dared to treat her with such indifference?"No, he doesn't," Wes said.Ivy grew curious about what was so interesting about those villages. She wanted to see for herself.--"Why do you and Captain seem so awkward and distant?" Arin felt they had missed a great opportunity. "It looks like you've known each other for a long time, not just met.""You're right," Nina replied."Really?" Arin was shocked.Nina's mind was not on Nash. She had been in the village for a while and sti
Nina could easily hear the implication in Chana's words. It was obvious what she was hinting at. "So, you're cooking for Nash?" Nina asked, playing along.Chana smiled. "Yes, Captain has been very kind to my son and me. I'm very grateful. He even got hurt saving us and said he would take us back to his country. I owe him my life, and I don't know how to repay him." She paused before adding, "I've noticed Captain Nash is always alone. He must be single, right?"Nina replied, "You can ask him yourself."Chana hesitated. "I couldn't possibly ask him such a thing. I thought you might know since you seem to talk to him a lot.""You've been around him longer than I have," Nina said directly. "Shouldn't you already know? Or are you worried I might get in the way of whatever you're planning?""That's not what I meant," Chana quickly backtracked. "Miss Nina, I know Captain doesn't have those feelings for you. You've misunderstood me. Have I offended you? I'm sorry..."Nina didn't want
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