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
"I'm not saying I don't support you being with Nina," Pharaoh began, his voice tinged with concern. "I'm just worried—""No need to worry," Nina interrupted, quickly stepping forward to join them. "No matter what happens, we'll face it together."Nash's resolve remained unwavering, and Nina could feel the weight of his determination. She had been thinking about protecting him, but he had been thinking about protecting her. If they both cared so deeply about each other, why not stand united and plan for the future together?Nina smiled softly at Nash, then intertwined her fingers with his. Pharaoh, seeing this, sighed and said, "You've made your decision, so I'll do everything in my power to support you. I won't bring this up again.""I can't cure the poison your father gave you, Nash," Pharaoh admitted, "but you can use this to your advantage, to draw him out."Pharaoh understood Dominic’s actions. As a father, he could see why Dominic would push Nash so hard. If Nash refused to
Nash was not planning to kill Dominic or let Salterra fall into ruin. Instead, he intended to wait him out and see who would fold first.Nina, however, decided to approach things differently. She made sure Dominic received his meals on time, even though his attitude toward her was cold and dismissive."You think bringing me food is going to change my mind about you?" Dominic sneered with his tone full of sarcasm.Nina remained calm. "You’re his father. I don’t want to see you two at odds like this. If you’re willing to talk, we can talk. If not, at least eat."She did not understand why Dominic treated her with such disdain when she had not wronged him.As Dominic studied her, he could not help but notice how different she was from Pharaoh, who had once been consumed by his experiments and ruthlessness. Nina and Nash’s relationship, too, puzzled him.Finally, Nina spoke again, her voice measured and calm. "I know what you’re thinking. You believe that the fiancée you chose for Na
Orion was receiving treatment in Pharaoh’s lab, where he would be safe. But Nash’s situation was different. Over the past five years, Nina had honed her survival and self-defense skills. She would not be a burden. She wanted to face life and death together with him.Nash gently patted her head, his voice full of affection, "Alright."On the third day, Dominic finally caved. While Nash and Nina could relentlessly press him, he could not afford the time. Back home, many were eyeing Salterra hungrily. As the president, he could not stay away from his country for too long.He handed Nash the antidote. "Your two brothers would kill to be in your position, but you’re throwing it all away. You’re just like your mother!"Mother? That word felt foreign to Nash. The only mother he had known was Sally, and he had always wondered why she was so cold towards him. It was not until he overheard a heated argument between Sally and William that he learned the truth that he was not her biologi
"Why don't we send troops to attack the Yaren Tribe and bring the Third Prince back?" "Even though Nash and Remi haven't held an engagement ceremony, everyone knows they’re engaged. Now that Nash refuses to return, where does that leave our Remi’s reputation?" ......Everyone had something to say, one after the other. Dominic pressed his lips together, his voice icy, "There's no need to create another enemy right now." "But we have heavy weapons at our disposal. What do we have to fear? If it comes down to it, we could start a world war!" "Exactly! If we don't strike back, others will think Salterra is weak. Even the Yaren Tribe has already shed its wolf’s skin." "I think the real problem lies with that Yaren witch. If we eliminate her, wouldn’t that solve everything?" Dominic remained silent, his expression cold and indifferent. However, he could not deny the truth in their words. The fact was, Nash had not returned, and now Remi was the target of gossip. Th
Micah had always hoped Nina would stay in the Yaren Tribe.Even if Nina never lifted a finger for the rest of her life, Micah would still make sure she lived in comfort and security. And once Orion was healthy, he would become more lively, make friends, grow up, get married, and have children. His future would be brighter in the tribe. However, Nina wanted to return to Birkham, so she needed to make Micah aware of her intentions ahead of time, "I'll need your help with Father. I plan to take Orion back to Birkham.""Nina, what did you say?" Micah grasped her shoulders, suddenly filled with emotion. Since discovering Pharaoh was her biological father, Nina had never acknowledged him as such. But now, by referring to him as "Father," it was clear she was starting to accept him. If just hearing Nina call him "Father" thrilled Micah this much, he could only imagine how overjoyed Pharaoh would be.Nina lowered her head, her face flushing with warmth, feeling a bit awkward. Memo
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