Orion shook his head but held onto Nina’s hand even tighter. In the next moment, he slowly raised his hand.Nash immediately reached out, understanding what Orion wanted. The emotion welled up in Nina, and her voice broke as she spoke, "Orion, I promise you, once you’re better, we’ll go back to the place where your dad and I grew up. I’ll take you to school and pick you up every day."I’ll take you to see your grandparents. It’s nothing like the place you’ve been, with war all around. You’ll be able to play every day and eat all the delicious food you want."Orion nodded, his strained voice barely above a whisper, "Okay."Pharaoh heard Nina’s words, and though it stung, he could not blame her. He understood that Nina’s upbringing had been vastly different from the values of the Yaren Tribe."I’ll go make you something to eat," Nina said, gently patting Orion’s hand before standing up.Nash hesitated for a moment, noticing the sadness in Pharaoh’s eyes. He gave Pharaoh a meaning
"Those things are in the past. Let's not dwell on them anymore," Nash said, noticing Nina's low spirits. "Now we're together as a family, and Orion's health is slowly improving. That's what matters most." Mentioning Orion's recovery brought some comfort to Nina. Yes, instead of constantly revisiting painful memories, it was better to focus on the present.The chicken broth was ready soon after, and as she was lost in thought, Nina absentmindedly reached out to grab the hot pot."Ah!" The searing heat made her quickly pull her hand back, and she pressed her fingers against her ear to cool them down."Are you okay?" Nash asked, rushing to check her injury.As he leaned forward, Nina also looked up, and their lips brushed lightly against each other. The sensation was soft and warm.For a moment, Nash relished the warmth of that accidental touch, wishing time would freeze, but his concern for Nina's injury quickly took over."It's nothing serious, just a little red and swollen," Ni
"Bring them in immediately," Pharaoh ordered, despite his distaste for Salterra.However, given the bond between Nina and Nash, and the fact that they share a child, Pharaoh was willing to extend some courtesy to Salterra for Orion’s sake. The two nations could maintain a good relationship, but if Dominic ever dared to mistreat his precious daughter, Pharaoh would not hesitate to retaliate.......Meanwhile, Nina had taken Orion to the back garden.The pollen season had passed, and the flowers in the garden had been carefully selected, allowing her to bring her son here without worry."Mom, these flowers are so beautiful. I’ve never seen them before," Orion exclaimed, his eyes wide with wonder. It was a rare outing for him.He breathed in the fresh air deeply, looking around with curiosity, marveling at everything he saw.If only he could come out every day. He did not want to be confined to a bed anymore, but he kept that thought to himself. He knew how hard his parents were
However, the pain coursing through his body made even the slightest movement agonizing. He instinctively let out a groan.Freya, who had been dozing off, instantly snapped awake. Seeing Micah’s eyes open, she was overwhelmed with relief. "Mr. Micah, you’re finally awake!"As Micah looked at Freya, memories of their battle before he fell unconscious flooded back. He recalled her fighting by his side, her anguished cries as he collapsed. And now, the exhaustion and worry etched on her face. He realized that she had been by his side the entire time.He pressed his lips together and asked in a low voice, "How’s Nina? Has my father managed to cure the child?"Ignoring the pain, Micah tried to get out of bed, determined to find Nina.Freya knew how much Micah cared about his sister. With Nina having been away from the Yaren Tribe for so many years, everyone was concerned about her well-being. But still, Micah needed to prioritize his own health."Mr. Micah, you’re in no condition to be
Freya was completely serious. If she could not be with Micah, she would rather spend the rest of her life alone. Micah was silent, just about to say something when Freya spoke first. "Mr. Micah, I’ve never seen you with a woman. Do you... like men?" She could not even meet his gaze as she asked, her voice trembling slightly.Micah’s expression darkened immediately.Before he could respond, Pharaoh strode into the room, cutting through the tension. "Good, you’re awake. Take these meds," he said, handing a small packet of medicine to Micah.Without a word, Micah took the medicine and swallowed it. Freya quickly offered him a glass of water, which he accepted. But before anything else could be said, Pharaoh shot Freya a pointed look, and she quietly excused herself, leaving the father and son alone."Salterra has sent an envoy," Pharaoh stated. "When you're well enough, I want you to handle the negotiations."Micah frowned. There hadn’t been any contact between Salterra and the Yar
The woman strode toward Nash. "I know you have a child, but the President has made it clear that the boy will be raised by him. As for your so-called wife... didn’t you and Nina divorce?""Remi!" Nash’s voice was sharp as he immediately put some distance between them. The woman before him was Remi Green, the fiancée arranged for him by Dominic. But from the moment he met her and learned of her identity, he made his stance clear. His heart was already fully committed to Nina and Orion. There was no room left for anyone else."This is just you being angry," Remi retorted. "Nina is the biological daughter of the Yaren Tribe's Pharaoh. The people of Salterra will never accept her, and even with your identity as Nash, do you really think the leaders of Birkham will approve?""My affairs are none of your concern," Nash replied coldly. He and Remi were linked by Dominic’s arrangement, but they were far from close."Why shouldn’t it concern me? I’m your fiancée! You may not agree, but tr
After his conversation with Remi, Nash headed straight to find Nina and their child. However, before he could reach them, he suddenly collapsed. The loud thud startled the patrolling guards. Given the importance of his and Nina's presence in the Yaren Tribe, the guards immediately rushed him to Pharaoh's lab.Seeing Nash unconscious, Nina's heart pounded with anxiety. She grabbed one of the guards, demanding, "What happened?"The Yaren Tribe's security was airtight, so how could this have happened? Could it be an old injury flaring up?"Miss Ivy, he suddenly collapsed. We're not sure what caused it," one of the guards replied.Pharaoh stepped forward. "Let me take a look."After examining Nash, Pharaoh's eyes widened in shock. "Nash has been poisoned. It must have been that envoy from Salterra.""What?" Nina's face turned pale.The envoy from Salterra, sent by Dominic, was clearly there to poison Nash, forcing him to return and submit to Dominic's demands. The realization hit
"I told you, I'm not giving up on you," Nash's voice was hoarse, filled with desperation as he clutched Nina's hand tightly. His eyes, now tinged with a deep red, shimmered with the threat of tears. "Even if I have to die, I want to die in front of you. I can't leave you."Nina's heart twisted in pain. After everything they had been through, they should have been able to find peace together, yet so many obstacles still stood in their way."I know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "But more than anything, I want you to live. Nash, as long as you're alive, there's still hope. If you die, then everything really is over."In the past five years, she had witnessed too much death, and it left her with a deep fear of it. Just as Nina wanted Nash to live, he, too, wanted nothing more than for her to survive."Nina," he began, his voice a soft plea, "no matter how difficult the road ahead is, if we face it together, we can make it through. I promise, I won’t let myself die. I'll stay
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