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
If it weren't for Nina's warm and kind nature, she never would have given the bracelet to Wilfred. And he, in turn, would not have given it back to her later. Without that bracelet, Micah would not have recognized her. If that had happened, Miranda would have continued to take her place, and the consequences would have been unimaginable. "That's all in the past," Nina said softly. This was partly due to Nash's advice, and she also thought of Orion. Other children had grandparents so why should Orion be the exception? As parents, she and Nash had not been there for Orion the way they should have. Now that the family was finally coming together, why should Orion be left with any regrets?Micah said firmly, "No, it's not in the past. Father and I will always owe you, Nina. I want to throw a recognition ceremony for you."Micah’s idea was straightforward. While his close confidants knew Nina was Pharaoh’s daughter, not everyone in the Yaren Tribe was aware of her identity. He had
But as a mother, how could she just stand by and watch her child undergo surgery? Nina shook her head. "I can’t go into the operating room. I… Nash, I’m really scared…”"I know. I understand," Nash replied gently. "But, Nina, our Orion has already been through so much. That tiny chance of something going wrong won’t happen to him. And trust in our father’s skill, okay?""Yes, Nina, and I’ll be there too, assisting Pharaoh." Wilfred chimed in, trying to reassure her, though seeing them together pained him. His priority, however, was Nina’s well-being. He would do everything in his power to ensure Orion’s surgery went smoothly.Nina felt a wave of warmth in her eyes. From the time she was poisoned until now, Wilfred had been by her side. She was deeply touched.She gently released Nash’s hand. "I’d like to talk to Wilfred for a moment.""I’ll go check on Orion then," Nash said, tenderly brushing a hand over Nina’s hair. He had wanted to kiss her, but with Wilfred there, he und
Seeing the person he loved most trying to arrange things for him tore Wilfred apart. It felt like he was feeling torn between two extremes, an unbearable torment. "I'm sorry... I just want you to be happy. I want you to—" "I know," Wilfred interrupted gently, offering Nina a soft smile. His eyes were full of warmth and sincerity as they rested on Nina. "Nina, can I hug you?" This was the first and only time he had asked, and it would be the last. Once Orion's bone marrow transplant was successful and he recovered, Micah and Pharaoh would prepare the ceremony for her. Nina would not stay long in the Yaren Tribe and she would return to Birkham with Nash. Wilfred had already established his practice in Salterra. If he closed it and followed her to Birkham, his feelings for her would be obvious to everyone. He and Nina might not see anything wrong with it, maintaining a respectful distance, but others would not see it that way. Wilfred could handle the gossip, but he would no
Before the test results were in and before Pharaoh had finished the surgery, no one was allowed to approach Mr. Kerr. Nash held Nina’s hand tightly. "Don't be afraid, I’ll be right here with you." "Okay."Even without his reassurance, Nina knew Nash would never leave her side.Three long hours passed before the door to the lab finally opened. Pharaoh stepped out first, followed by Wilfred, who was pushing a bed with Orion lying on it. His pale face was framed by the stark contrast of the blue oxygen mask."How is he?"Nina rushed forward, her legs feeling weak beneath her."The surgery was successful," Pharaoh said. "Once the anesthesia wears off, he’ll wake up. But we’ll need to monitor him for a while. If there are no complications, he can go back to living like any other child."Nina could not hold back her tears, crying out in relief, "That’s wonderful!"Her entire focus was on Orion at that moment.But Micah had not forgotten about Mr. Kerr. Just then, Mr. Joker arrive
Hunter took a bite of the biscuits and ravioli she had made. The taste was surprisingly good. It wasn’t on the level of a Michelin-starred chef, but it had something even more special—the taste of home. And of course, there was the oatmeal. He took one spoonful after another, finishing the entire bowl. *Meanwhile, Vera still hadn’t found her brother. Disappointment weighed heavily on her as she prepared to leave. But just then, her phone buzzed. An anonymous message. She tapped it open and stared at the image attached. It was a watch. Alone, a watch meant nothing. But this watch was her brother’s. Vera immediately zoomed in on the photo, carefully inspecting the engravings inside. There they were—his initials. No mistake. This was his watch. Below the image, a location pin was attached. The place was nearby. Vera’s eyes filled with determination. If she had found nothing, she would have simply left. But now, she had recei
When Yelena woke up again, she was shocked to find that she wasn’t at the club. She sat up abruptly, looking around in confusion. Then, she got out of bed, slipped on her slippers, and pushed the door open. “Where am I?” “At my place,” Hunter replied casually. He was working in the living room when he saw her wake up. “You slept for a long time. I couldn’t just leave you alone at the club, so I brought you back here.” Seeing the uncertainty on her face, he added, “It’s already late. Just stay here for the night. I’ll take you back tomorrow.” Yelena nodded. There was no other choice now. “There’s food in the fridge. If you’re hungry, heat something up. There are also snacks in the drawer—take whatever you want.” “Alright.” She really was hungry. She opened the drawer, grabbed a few small bread rolls, ate them quickly, and then went back to her room to rest. *The next morning, Yelena woke up early. Thinking about everything Hunter had done—treatin
Yelena quickly lowered her arm, letting her sleeve fall over the mark to cover it. “It’s nothing. Here’s your cocktail. Please enjoy.” “Yelena.” Hunter grabbed her wrist without warning. He pulled up her sleeve, revealing the deep, ugly scars on her arm. His brows knitted together instantly. “Who did this to you?” The force behind it was brutal—downright inhuman. Yelena remained silent. Who else could have done this besides Liam? But she had agreed to this. She had willingly accepted Hunter’s request and entered Liam’s world. She had no right to complain. Her silence gave Hunter all the confirmation he needed. “Liam did this to you, didn’t he?” Yelena nodded. “It’s nothing. The wounds have already started healing. They look worse than they feel. Give it some time, and they’ll fade.” “Wait here.” Hunter stood abruptly and walked away. Yelena had no idea what he was doing, but since he told her to wait, she didn’t argue. A few minu
Then again, it made sense. How could a normal person possibly empathize with a lunatic? If Yelena could understand Liam, that would make her just as twisted. *For the next few days, Yelena stayed home to recover. During that time, Liam came back a few times, bringing her flowers and food. Like a child showing off a treasure, he placed the food in front of her. “Yelena, these are your favorite honey crullers. I got them fresh from the bakery. Try them and see if you like them.” “I’m not really hungry.” She didn’t want to eat anything he gave her. She couldn’t even stand looking at him. But she had made a promise. So, she had to force herself to stay. Liam’s expression darkened. “Are you really not hungry, or do you just not want to eat what I give you?” For someone like him, once he had lost his temper once, the second time would only come faster and smoother. With a heavy thud, he slammed the honey crullers onto the table. “Yes, I hit y
If Liam had been a normal person, Hunter never would have sent her here in the first place. But of course, Yelena could only think that. She wasn’t suicidal enough to say it out loud. Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. “I was really just messaging an old classmate. If you don’t believe me, go ahead—check my phone.” She wasn’t worried. Whenever she contacted Hunter, she deleted each message immediately. She had even forged an entire fake conversation just in case Liam ever got suspicious. So, no matter how thoroughly he checked, there would be nothing for him to find. Liam narrowed his eyes. “Is that so? Then why do I still feel like you’re lying? Women like you—nothing but liars, every last one of you.” Then, he struck her again. Yelena screamed. The pain was relentless, merciless. She had no idea how long it lasted—only that by the time he finally stopped, she was barely breathing. Her body slumped against the floor
Suddenly, footsteps sounded behind Yelena. She spun around, her heart hammering in her chest. Liam was walking toward her, a faint smile on his lips—but the coldness in his eyes told a different story. Memories of his past cruelty flashed through her mind, sending a shudder down her spine. She forced herself to stay calm. “Who are you messaging?” He was getting closer. So close that when he finally stopped, they were nearly pressed against each other. Then, without warning, his fingers clamped around her chin, gripping tighter and tighter. Pain shot through her jaw, and Yelena winced. “No one. Just an old classmate. I ran into her a few days ago while I was out.” “Oh? Is that so?” Liam’s voice softened, almost gentle. To anyone watching, he might have seemed like a kind, easygoing man. But Yelena knew better. He would never let her off that easily. And sure enough— In the next second, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her hea
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.“Haven’t I been just fine lately?“Or do you think my hand isn’t injured enough? If that’s the case, go ahead—do it yourself. “You already know I wouldn’t fight back no matter what.” Without warning, Yelena stretched out her injured hand, an act that instantly enraged Liam. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He snapped. “I was just making a casual remark. Is that really what you think of me? I already told you—I’m not going to lay a hand on you.“It wasn’t intentional before, and you know it. We both do. Stop acting like you’re above all this when we both know who sent you here.” Yelena felt a pang of sadness. They had spent so much time together, yet this was how he treated her—always choosing to hurt her. “I know—I wasn’t someone you chose, and none of this was intentional. But after all this time we've spent together...“I thought maybe I was a little different to you. But I guess I was wrong. Nothing has changed at all.
“Why do you even care about what happens to other people? Haven’t I made myself clear enough already?“Whose card is this—yours or mine?” His assistant immediately apologized upon hearing Caleb’s tone. “I hope you won’t hold this against me. I really wasn’t thinking clearly at the time—I should have considered this more carefully.” Caleb didn’t bother responding. After hanging up, he focused entirely on investigating Vera’s brother. *Meanwhile, Vera was deeply worried. If things had been somewhat under control before, now they were completely off track. The situation on both sides was far more complicated than she had anticipated. “Don’t worry. That’s exactly how it is. If you don’t want to go in person, I can go for you—but it won’t be cheap,” the private investigator said.Since Caleb had warned her about the private investigator, Vera started testing him, probing for inconsistencies. And sure enough, his story had too many holes. “Why are you so sure my b
As Caleb spoke, he looked at Vera with a hint of helplessness. After all, her hand had been injured because of Luna. “Don’t feel guilty about this. Honestly, it’s nothing to me.“And I’m not the type to carry burdens over things like this.“Besides, it’s been so long. If this had happened back then, I might have cared. But now? I just don’t think it matters anymore.” Vera’s voice was steady and sincere. But Caleb’s expression darkened. “Why would you say that? Why do you think it doesn’t matter? Do you really see me as just the same as everyone else?” For some reason, at this moment, Caleb took it personally. Vera couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course not. You’re different from the rest—so obviously, I wouldn’t see it the same way.“You’ve helped me so much. The least I can do is acknowledge that, instead of stubbornly nitpicking about what’s right or wrong, don’t you think?“Besides, whatever happened between you and Luna, that’s none of my business. It’s in