Nina held Orion close, staying by his side.But later, while in the lab, she came across a treatment list that Pharaoh had compiled. One particular herb caught her attention—Seven-Leaf Clover.This herb thrived in shady areas and would only grow deep in the mountains. Due to its unique medicinal properties, venomous snakes often guarded it. It was said that only experienced herbalists would dare to harvest it and ordinary people would not risk it.Pharaoh had marked the herb's name, possibly indicating the difficulty of obtaining it. Nina bit her lip. If others were afraid to go, she would go herself. If it meant saving her son, she was willing to risk her life.With that resolve, Nina set out immediately.Nash, seeing her heading toward the mountains from afar, quickly caught up. "Where are you going?""I’m going to find Seven-Leaf Clover," Nina replied directly, adding, "I can go alone. You stay here with Orion.""No, I’m going with you," Nash insisted firmly. Nina, not wantin
The relentless pursuit was a battle between them, the tiger, and the venomous snake. Nina knew they could not keep this up. Once darkness fully set in, their chances of escape would be even slimmer.As they passed by a tree trunk, Nina used it as leverage, planting her foot firmly and springing up to snap off a branch. In one swift motion, she spun around and drove the branch into the snake's weak spot, right at the seven-inch mark.The snake dropped to the ground, lifeless. The tiger roared furiously, seemingly enraged by the death of its companion."Climb up the cliff!" Nash shouted, throwing the torch at the tiger.The tiger did not dodge. The torch hit its head and fell to the ground, extinguished. A small flame flared up on the tiger’s head, causing it to freeze in panic.Nina seized the opportunity, picked up the fallen torch, and with all her strength, drove it into the tiger's body.A single, lethal strike.Nash was stunned. In the five years they had been apart, his
The two of them leaned back against each other, their hearts still racing. It took a while before they both exhaled a long breath of relief. Even the bravest would feel a shiver of fear recalling what could have happened if they had not spotted the snake in time. Nash turned and hugged Nina tightly, kissing her on the forehead. "It’s okay now. I’ll thoroughly check the cave in a bit to make sure nothing like this happens again.""It’s not your fault. No one could have expected a snake to be in the cave," Nina reassured him. In such a damp place, it was inevitable that there would be snakes. This might have even been the snake’s den. They were the intruders, and now they had killed it. In a way, they were the ones being unreasonable.Nash reignited the torch and carefully inspected the cave, then found some stones to block the entrance. Once everything was secured, he began roasting the snake meat. They did not know how much further they had to travel, so it was best to fill the
The two of them teased each other, each laughing at the other's clumsiness. After walking quite a distance, Nina glanced back at the cliff, feeling like she had missed something.Nash noticed her hesitation and joked, "You’re not thinking about staying another night, are you? Not worried about running into that snake’s husband?"Nina thought for a moment, "Seven-Leaf Clover thrives in damp places and venomous snakes often guard it. Could the Seven-Leaf Clover be inside the cave?" She was only speculating, though. The cave was always dark, and the books mentioned that the Seven-Leaf Clover needed some sunlight to be considered top-quality. It thrived in the shade but also needed sunlight.It was almost like people, needing the company of others, yet craving solitude.A contradictory existence.Nash considered her suggestion and realized she might be right. He offered, "I’ll go back up and check. You can wait here.""No, let’s go together. If that snake’s husband shows up, we c
Nash held Nina close, and she could hear the steady, strong beat of his heart against his chest.Ever since they arrived, Nash had stayed by her side. At first, when she spotted the Seven-Leaf Clover, she thought about going alone. After all, she felt like she had not done enough for Orion. But then, Nash had shown up.As the thick fog began to clear, they started their journey back.The Yaren Tribe was in turmoil, and Pharaoh, along with the others, was deeply worried about Nash and Nina's safety, especially Nina’s. They did not want her to suffer even the slightest harm."You! That was my list of herbs, and I know the best and quickest ways to find them. You’re unfamiliar with the area. What were you thinking, running up the mountain?" Pharaoh scolded, his concern clear. The herbs he listed were to save Orion, and in his haste, he had put the list aside when Nina arrived, wanting to give them an update.If something had happened to Nina, he would never have forgiven himself.
Wilfred noticed the dust on Nina’s clothes and the redness in her eyes. She was willing to do anything for Orion, acting swiftly and decisively. He had wanted to accompany her, but Nash had already taken that role, leaving him to stay behind and assist Pharaoh in saving Orion. When the Yaren Tribe was attacked, he and Pharaoh were both busy tending to the injured. Now, Pharaoh was in the lab, and Wilfred was by Micah’s side.Hearing Wilfred’s update, Nina finally let out a sigh of relief. Micah was going to be okay. She also noticed Freya, who was steadfastly watching over Micah. Freya had once seen Nina as a rival, but now she was staying by Micah’s side, clearly devoted to him. Nina realized there was no need for her to linger and play the third wheel.Nina and Nash quietly left, and Wilfred, finding it inconvenient to stay as well, told Freya, "If you need anything, just call me. I’ll be right outside.""Alright," Freya nodded, and Wilfred stepped out.Freya remained by Mi
But it was impossible. Wilfred quickly snapped out of his thoughts and returned to reality. He knew he could never be Nash. He was Wilfred. Even if he could not stand by Nina’s side as a lover, he could be a friend, a brother. He had dedicated his life to her, and that would have to be enough.......When Nash returned to the bedroom with the medicine, Nina had already finished her bath. Her damp hair fell loosely around her shoulders, filling the room with a faint scent of roses.Nash quickly wrapped a towel around her hair. "Lower your clothes a bit so I can apply the medicine.""Okay," Nina complied, and Nash carefully began applying the ointment, his touch gentle.He even blew softly on her skin to ease any sting from the medicine. He was so worried that the medication might irritate her wounds, that she might feel pain. But in truth, this kind of pain was nothing to Nina. She recalled her early days as a war journalist, how clumsy she had been amid the chaos of war.On
It was a clear reality, even if she refused to acknowledge it. Everyone around her knew that Pharaoh was her biological father. Pharaoh was helping her save her child because of their blood connection. Otherwise, he would not care who she or Orion was. If they were to die in front of him, he would not even blink."Maybe we should wait outside for the results," Nash suggested, gently guiding her toward the door, worried that staying might overwhelm her, leading to unnecessary worries.But Nina was resolute. "If he’s not poisoned, then I have to stay. I’m not leaving until he wakes up."Her determination was unyielding, and Nash knew there was no changing her mind. He would stay with her, no question.Unexpectedly, Pharaoh gave Nash a look.Nash placed a reassuring hand on Nina’s shoulder. "I’ll be right back.""Okay," she nodded.Nash followed Pharaoh outside the lab. Pharaoh hesitated for a moment before speaking "Regarding Nina, I hope you can put in a good word for me. Even
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