Nina smirked. It hurt, so this wasn't a dream after all. Nash was really massaging her feet. Noticing her expression, Nash thought he might have pressed too hard and instinctively asked, "Did I hurt you?"Nina shook her head. "No, you didn't." She paused, her nose slightly moist, and said, "I just didn't expect you to be like this." To her, his tenderness was surprising. Nash lifted his deep gaze, noticing her bright yet somewhat pitiful eyes, and he softly said, "I'm sorry you had to endure this."Nina shook her head and remained silent. She wasn't enduring anything. She just loved him but couldn't have him. As Nash rubbed her feet, the warmth of his touch eased Nina's discomfort. She focused on gazing at him, soaking in his tenderness while remaining clear-headed.Her eyes fell on his deep gaze, his prominent nose bridge, and then his rosy lips... At that moment, she felt overwhelmed with emotions, and finally, she couldn't resist calling out, "Nash." At the sound of her voice
"You can still call me Nina," Nina said, "You suddenly changed how you address me. I'm a bit uncomfortable, especially since we're outside and there are many people watching."Quincy didn't understand. They were clearly husband and wife, so why keep it a secret?But it was their business, and he didn't want to pry.He simply complied with Nina's request, "Okay, Nina."Nina finished eating and headed towards the auction area.Suddenly, she bumped into someone. Following her professional habit, Nina apologized first, "Sorry for bumping into you.""It's okay, Nina, thank you for that glass of lemon water."She looked up and surprisingly, it was Penelope.Nina politely greeted, "Penelope."Penelope smiled faintly and shook hands with her warmly, "Nina, you look beautiful today. No wonder Mr. York is infatuated with you."Nina immediately clarified the situation, "No, Penelope, please don't misunderstand. I'm Mr. York's secretary, just his companion. Mr. York is already married. I
The main gemstone was ten carats, with additional diamonds of over one carat each as accents. A style worthy of collection.Nina glanced back and caught Miranda's gaze, noticing the smirk and subtle challenge in her eyes. Indeed, Miranda had every reason to flaunt.After marrying into the York family, Nina couldn't recall a single occasion when Sally had bought her anything. Finally, Sally bid six million without any hesitation. The gemstone was placed in front of Miranda. With so many people watching, it gave Miranda plenty of face, making her very happy. "It's so beautiful, Sally, you have such good taste."Sally's indulgent look: "As long as you like it, everything is worth it."As Miranda held it, bystanders looked on with envy, and one person quickly remarked, "Miranda seems to be quite favored by Sally, treating her like her daughter.""Her daughter? Clearly, she's being treated like her daughter-in-law.""But didn't Nash mention he's married? How could she be her daughte
In the box lay the emerald bracelet Miranda liked.Nina walked in and spotted them all. She politely inquired, "Mr. York, what do you need from me?"Nash glanced her way and beckoned, "Come here."Nina approached.Nash retrieved the box, opened it, and, amid their watchful eyes, slid the emerald bracelet onto Nina's wrist.At that moment, Miranda's expression shifted.Sally was taken aback and exclaimed, "Nash, wasn't this meant for Miranda?"But Nash retorted, "Don't you already spoil her enough?"Sally pursed her lips, feeling unsettled.Nina was taken aback. Suddenly, her hand felt considerably heavier. This was a twenty-million-dollar emerald bracelet.Wasn't this too much for her?She'd never worn such an expensive item before and felt it wasn't right. "It's alright, it's too valuable. What if I accidentally damage it? I should take it off."She hurried to remove it.But Nash held onto her hand, saying with significance, "I got it for you. Take good care of it and don'
With those words, Nina was frozen in place, a chill creeping up from the soles of her feet, leaving her ice-cold and lifeless.What did Zoe say?Did Nash marry her for the shares his grandfather held?Nina's gaze went blank as she turned away, peering through the half-concealed crack to see the scene inside. She saw Zoe standing, her emotions a bit agitated, while Nash sat with his legs crossed on the sofa, his eyes showing no hint of emotion."Yeah," he simply replied.Nina's face turned deathly pale, shock evident in her eyes.No wonder he married her; it was all part of a deal.No wonder on their wedding night, he said there would be no intimacy between them, and he made her realize her status.She was just a pawn from the beginning.Once he got what he wanted, he could let go, hence the three-year contract.Zoe said, "I knew you wouldn't compromise easily, but is this fair to Nina? You're hurting her."Nash's eyes remained calm, and his lips barely moved. "I will compens
Nina was gasping for breath, letting the cold wind hit her, yet she remained oblivious to the chill as she was too consumed by her need to escape.She didn't know how long she'd been running. Exhausted, she finally stopped, panting heavily.With her hands on her knees, tears streamed down her face, falling to the ground without her noticing.In that moment, Nina realized her cheeks were soaked with tears, each warm droplet turning icy, stinging her skin.Why did it have to be this way?Why?Nina silently questioned herself, why did all the good things turn out to be lies?She believed that Nash's most tender and attractive demeanor was merely a facade of compensation and guilt.Finally, she grasped the meaning behind Miranda's words.Nash had married her only to exploit her.He showed no empathy and no hint of affection towards her.Nina sank to the ground, feeling her heart grow cold, her arms tightly wrapped around herself.She wished she had a shell to retreat into, wher
The person on the other end hesitated for a moment. "Someone did see Nina in the office, but no one was keeping watch, so we can't guarantee she was there the whole time."It was a mystery.He had once questioned Nina's suspicion.In his memory, Nina had always maintained her boundaries with him, never making any mistakes, so he didn't have too many doubts.Recalling the moment, Nina seemed quite flustered.She was the only woman who could get close to him.But he was certain it couldn't have been Miranda.Nash hung up the phone, shut down the computer, and left the study.In the bedroom, the lights were on, but Nina wasn't inside.Even her phone was left on the bed.He searched around but didn't find her, then asked the helper, "Where is Nina?"The helper replied, "Mrs. York was seen going downstairs just now."Nina was nowhere to be found in the villa, and she hadn't taken her phone, which worried Nash. He quickly made a call, "Nina's missing, find her!"---Nina woke u
"Quarrels between husband and wife happen all the time; it's just part of marriage. What's the big deal? I'll let Nash know you're in the hospital so he won't worry himself sick about you."Nina internally resisted. "Please, don't tell him.""Didn't you hear what the nurse said? You need to notify your family. Without that, you can't leave the hospital," Caleb insisted.Nina glanced at Caleb. "I hope you stay out of this."Her complexion was dreadful, and she was stubborn, but her tone mirrored Nash's. Truly like a married couple.Caleb continued, "Nash has been searching all over for you. I've already reached out to him, and he'll be here at the hospital soon."Nina pursed her lips tightly. She didn't want to, but Caleb was Nash's friend, surely biased toward him.Afraid that Nina might try to escape, Caleb kept a close eye on her until Nash arrived at the hospital.He was out of breath. Upon seeing Nina, he finally relaxed and walked over briskly. "What's wrong? Where does it
“Jenna, have you heard? That notoriously difficult patient from the neighboring department actually thanked the staff today. I can’t believe it,” Mandy said, her face lit with surprise.Jenna chuckled and replied, “Maybe our care finally moved him. By the way, why hasn’t Dr. Karina come back yet? She should’ve finished her rounds by now.”Mandy shrugged casually. “Probably a patient with a more complex situation. You know how meticulous and responsible Dr. Karina is.”“That’s true, but it’s been so long already. I’m starting to feel uneasy,” Jenna said, frowning as a sliver of worry crept into her thoughts.“Oh, don’t overthink it. Maybe she ran into someone she knows and stopped to chat. This hospital’s big, after all,” Mandy tried to reassure her.But as the minutes ticked by, Karina still didn’t return.Jenna couldn’t sit still anymore. She stood up and said, “This isn’t right. I’m going to check on her. It’s late, and I don’t want anything bad happening.”Seeing Jenna’s seri
Karina threw out those words and ran off.The only place she could go was the hospital, where she had switched shifts to cover the night shift.Tonight, the hospital hallways were unusually quiet, with only the occasional beeping of medical equipment breaking the silence. As usual, Karina patrolled the patient ward, checking on the conditions of her patients. But then, an unexpected figure appeared before her. Kieran hobbled toward her, leaning heavily on his crutches, his gait uneven. Karina wrinkled her nose. What was that smell? It seemed to be coming from him. The closer he got, the stronger the scent became.Kieran reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were clouded with confusion and wildness. “Karina…” he slurred her name, his voice thick and indistinct. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly.Startled, Karina tried to pull away. “Kieran, you’re drunk! What are you doing here? Let go of me!” But Kieran ignored her protests. Fueled by alcohol, he ya
Kieran didn’t see it that way. “Of course, it benefits me. Look at you! You came back, didn’t you? Regretting not giving me that 40,000 yet? You could’ve saved us both the trouble if you’d just handed it over earlier.” “You—” “Now it’s 100,000,” Kieran interrupted, reclining smugly in his wheelchair. “You want the trending posts gone, don’t you? Pay up—100,000, not a penny less. Otherwise...” His voice dropped, laced with menace. “I’ve still got a few things up my sleeve.” The blatant threat made Karina’s hands tremble, her voice quivering as she spoke. “One hundred thousand? Wasn’t it forty just a few days ago?” Kieran sneered. “That was the old price. It’s 100,000 now, take it or leave it.” Karina could taste blood in her mouth. Her lips had been bitten raw without her noticing. Rage and utter disappointment overwhelmed her. This was her family. Twenty years of being with them, and all they had ever done was take. They had given her nothing in return. Her mind wa
Wilfred pondered briefly after hearing Karina's words. “I’m coming with you. Don’t rush to refuse. After what happened last time, I don’t think I need to remind you of the situation. If I hadn’t been there, leaving the Stone family might not have been so easy.”Karina couldn’t argue, especially when she remembered Kieran’s aggressive demeanor during her last visit. She took a deep breath and smiled faintly. “I’ll have to trouble you again, Dr. Wilfred.”Wilfred’s lips curved into a faint smile. True to his word, he personally drove Karina to the Stone residence that very day.As they arrived, Karina stopped at the door. “You can wait here. If things get bad, you can come in.”Wilfred glanced at her phone. “Keep the phone on you.”Karina held it up for him to see. She had already set him as her emergency contact. “If anything happens, I’ll call right away.”Prepared, Karina used the key she still had to open the door and walked in.The moment she stepped inside, Mr. Stone’s face
Karina felt the need to clarify. “It’s not because of what they’re saying about me. It’s… something else.”She left the rest unsaid, but Wilfred had already pieced it together. He had seen the trending posts online, and after hearing the truth from her a few days ago, everything made sense.The online rumors didn’t just accuse her of secretly taking photos. They delved into her past, exposing videos and photos of her working multiple part-time jobs day and night. The posts claimed she came from a poor background and insinuated that her position at the hospital was only secured by leveraging a powerful benefactor.It didn’t take much to infer that the “benefactor” in question was him.Karina’s past wasn’t common knowledge in the hospital. Even Wilfred only learned about it through her explanation. The only people who could expose such private details were her own family. Wilfred’s gaze softened with an almost imperceptible hint of pity. She had sacrificed her youth working hersel
Karina’s grip loosened instantly, her eyes filled with disbelief. “What did you just say?” How could they possibly know... Could it be the intern? But hadn’t she already left the hospital?The nurse smirked and shook her hand dismissively. “Oh, you didn’t know? Go check online yourself. Someone’s already exposed all your shameful secrets.” Boom! Karina staggered back, her face pale as a sheet. It took all her strength just to steady herself. With trembling hands, she pulled out her phone. Her movements were frantic, her urgency barely concealed. In her mind, she prayed over and over again, begging it not to be true. But reality wasn’t kind. Karina unlocked her phone, and an overwhelming flood of messages and trending headlines popped up. The words “secretly taking photos” leapt off the screen, stabbing her like a blade. Her limbs turned to jelly, and she nearly collapsed under the weight of the revelation. One of the nurses sneered, her voice dripping with m
Karina had never seen that particular look in Wilfred's eyes before. The emotions were subtle, hidden beneath the surface, almost imperceptible unless one paid close attention. Having spent so much time by his side recently, she had grown adept at reading his subtle expressions.“Sorry, Dr. Wilfred, have I caused trouble for you again?” she asked hesitantly, her guilt written all over her face.Wilfred lifted his gaze, ready to deliver a prepared response. Yet, faced with her earnest eyes, his words faltered, and what he finally said was, “From now on, you don’t need to call me ‘Dr. Wilfred’ every time.”“Then what should I call you? Mr. Wilfred?” she asked tentatively.“Just my name.”Wilfred’s voice was calm as he used his knife and fork to cut into his steak. His dark lashes framed eyes that seemed to glimmer with depth, as if they held secrets untold. Despite his cool demeanor, Karina felt a small surge of satisfaction and smiled. “Alright. At the hospital, I’ll call y
Karina handed the menu to Wilfred. “Take a look and let me know if there’s anything you can’t eat.”Wilfred’s reply was brief. “No.”Relieved, Karina took the menu back and carefully selected a few dishes she could afford within her current budget. “How about this?”Wilfred glanced at the choices. His expression was calm as always, but Karina felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She couldn’t even lift her head. She had invited him out for dinner, confidently saying it was her treat, yet this was all she could afford. “He must think so little of me,” she thought. But before her thoughts could spiral further, Wilfred withdrew his gaze. “This is fine, but you don’t need to factor in my preferences so much. Order whatever you like.” Karina flushed, realizing he had seen right through her. She had indeed chosen the dishes based on what she thought he would like. The food arrived quickly. Karina, ever attentive, handed Wilfred a set of utensils. “This restaurant h
“Send me forty thousand. I need to upgrade to a better wheelchair.”Karina frowned. “Didn’t you just get a new wheelchair recently? Let’s be real, it’s not for the wheelchair, is it? You’re just going to blow it on something else.”Caught off guard, Kieran’s voice rose in anger. “Cut the crap! Just tell me, are you giving me the money or not? Give me forty thousand, and I’ll stay out of your life for a while. Deal?”Listening to his voice through the phone, Karina gripped her phone tightly, regret and frustration bubbling up inside her. No one knew how much she regretted that day. If only she hadn’t gone out, hadn’t gotten into that car, or if she had been the one to die instead. At least then, she would be free. Instead, she was stuck, drained by this family like a parasite that wouldn’t stop until they had sucked her dry.Exhaustion weighed heavily in her voice as she responded, “I told you last time, I don’t have any more money. No matter how many times you ask, the answer wo