Outside the operating room, Percival was like a man possessed. His heart was in a vice grip, a sudden dull pain hit him so hard he had to double over, clutching his chest through his shirt.He scowled at the operating room door, feeling like something precious was slipping away from him.Just then, the operating room doors swung open and a nurse hurried out. Spotting Percival, she dashed over and asked, “Are you family? The patient’s hanging by a thread! We need you to sign the surgery consent form and a critical condition notice!”Percival’s head was buzzing, he couldn’t make out what she was saying. He stared at her, his voice stiff, “What do you mean Eulalia’s not gonna make it? What the hell happened?”She just got drenched in the rain, knelt for half an hour, hadn’t eaten in four days, maybe... just maybe she was a bit weak and coughed up some blood...How come the moment she’s in there, they’re telling him Eulalia’s knocking on heaven’s door?The nurse looked at his dazed face a
Orion rushed in, his coat all messed up, “What’s the scoop?”“Oxygen levels took a nosedive, she’s out like a light, heart’s playing hooky... Things are hanging by a thread.” The worse things got, the cooler the head needed to be.Eulalia’s face was ghostly pale, lips a nasty shade of blue, no pulse, no heartbeat...“Get the defibrillator!”Orion sucked in a pained breath; he had never seen Eulalia this wasted. If only he had been there for her, maybe she wouldn’t have ended up like this.Despair crept up from the depths of his soul, like a drop of ink spreading through a glass of water, turning it pitch black.During the painstaking resuscitation, Eulalia’s heartbeat gradually came back, like the calm before the storm. She somehow managed to pry her eyes open a sliver.Her oxygen mask was fogged up, everything was a blurry white, which freaked her out. But when she caught a glimpse of Orion, she felt a tad better. She wanted to say something, but she didn’t have the strength.Pain ha
A chill shot through Percival from head to toe, leaving him frozen in place. His eyes narrowed, and it felt like his heart was being yanked out of his chest.Tears welled up in Percival’s eyes as he stared, horrified, at the bloody mess in the basin. Was that what was left in Eulalia’s stomach? Chewed up, undigested bits of tissue paper soaked in her blood?“Why the hell would she eat this stuff...”Orion coldly glared at him, his own eyes misty with tears. “I should be asking you what the hell you did to her that she had to stuff her face with tissue paper to keep from starving!”It was him. He had locked her in the bedroom for four days. Four days without food, and she resorted to eating tissue paper. Percival, who had a mild stomach condition, knew how excruciating stomach pain could be, let alone for Eulalia who was in the advanced stages of stomach cancer.Percival looked like a drowning man grasping for air. He clenched the plastic basin so hard his knuckles turned white, and th
Does Percival love Eulalia?If he loves her, why did he stand by indifferently that day when Eulalia knelt in the rain, humbling herself before everyone, losing all her pride?If he doesn't love her, why has he been watching over Eulalia for two days and nights without closing his eyes?The nurse shook her head, saying she didn't know.Percival remained silent, his mind wandering again, as if the person who had just asked the question wasn't him.The nurse pushed the medicine cart and left the ICU. By noon, Oliver arrived with a stack of documents to report to Percival.After reading them, Percival signed a few urgent files and handed them to Oliver, then asked, "How's the situation with Sawyer Clearwater?""The evidence has been handed over as you instructed. Sawyer Clearwater won't die. He'll just have to pay some money," Oliver said, somewhat confused.You say that after all the effort to send Sawyer Clearwater to prison for execution, why now hand over the evidence to the court to
“He’s signed the surgery consent form and the critical condition notice. He knows about your illness,” Orion said.“Can you help me whip up a medical report that keeps him in the dark?” Eulalia’s voice was so hoarse it was barely audible, probably from being out cold for too long. But Orion got what she meant.Orion furrowed his brows, confused. “If you’re into him, why not spill the beans about your illness? Lay it all out for him.”“That’s exactly why I can’t tell him – because I care about him.”“Don’t you want him to give you a little extra TLC, to feel for you?”Eulalia shook her head, swallowing the bitterness in her heart. How could Percival possibly feel for her? If he knew she was knocking on death’s door, he might even set off fireworks to celebrate finally being rid of her.Besides, even if he did feel something, it would be out of pity. And the last thing the Shen family’s princess needed was pity.“We’re headed for splits anyway. His concern doesn’t mean squat to me. Besi
The young nurse took a step back, her back drenched in cold sweat. She was genuinely freaked out.She had been working in the hospital for a while and had seen her fair share of people losing their cool, even some hospital dramas. But nothing compared to this level of terror.Percival’s eyes were bloodshot, probably from lack of sleep, and now with his rage, they looked like they were about to pop.The nurse was thinking of making up an excuse to bolt when she saw the man in front of her crack a sinister smile. But the smile vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving his eyes as cold as ice. His face looked twisted, like a demon that crawled out of hell.She quickly whipped out her phone, pretending to be calm, and said, “Sir, you should go in and keep your wife company. I gotta run, but if there’s an emergency, just ring the bell by the bed.”With that, she hightailed it out of there.She thought to herself, “Guess Dr. Blackwell was right. Percival doesn’t give a rat’s ass about Eul
A tear fell onto Percival’s finger. It was lukewarm, but he jerked his hand back as if he’d been scalded.He shifted his gaze, feeling uneasy, and noticed that Eulalia’s hand was bleeding.Percival pressed a bell on the wall and turned around coldly. “I’m outta here. Stay put in the hospital, will ya? I’ll swing by next Wednesday to take you to court.”Eulalia watched him walk away and blurted out, ”Percival, I thought you were a man of your word.” She meant to sound assertive, but her voice wavered with doubt.Percival didn’t even glance back. As he opened the door to leave the room, he tossed over his shoulder, “Need I remind you, Eulalia, that I’m the guy who lied in front of a priest?”Eulalia felt like her bones had turned to jelly. She collapsed onto the bed, tears streaming down her face, soaking the pillow. It hit her like a ton of bricks.Their wedding had been the talk of the town. Both from influential families, with mega-corporations in tow, not only was the prenup a big d
After Orion left, Eulalia asked the nurse to help her to the bathroom.The nurse noticed that Eulalia spent her days in a daze, just staring out the window at a dead ginkgo tree."Ms. Clearwater, wanna catch some TV?” she asked.Eulalia was in a VIP single room, complete with a private bathroom, air conditioning, and a TV that had internet access. But since she moved in, she hadn’t turned it on even once.Eulalia perked up and nodded, “Yeah, go ahead and turn it on.”The nurse happily grabbed the remote and was about to look for a popular TV series when, lo and behold, a trending topic popped up on the screen.— “Dunraven Corporation’s CEO, Percival Dunraven, caught in a late-night secret meeting with his first love. Is he calling it quits with Eulalia?”The nurse cringed and was about to change the channel, but Eulalia, who was lying in bed, stopped her.“Click on that trending topic, let’s see what’s up.”“Uh… okay.”They were greeted by a blurry video of two people holding hands in
#Barry AnimalAbuse#This trending topic suddenly appeared at the top of social media.Barry rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was hallucinating from stress or if there was an issue with her phone. Hadn't Evette just told her on the call that #Eulalia AnimalAbuse# was trending? Why was she seeing something different?Barry's heart pounded, and a growing sense of unease filled her. She carefully opened her eyes again and looked at her phone. Nothing had changed from what she saw earlier, except the trending topic kept rising in popularity.Barry's face went pale, and her breath grew cold. Though autumn hadn't arrived yet, she felt a winter chill. The air entering her nose felt like icy vapor, freezing her heart. The cold sensation spread down her spine.How could this be happening?Why was it completely different from what Evette had said?Didn't Evette say Eulalia was trending? Why was she herself the top trend instead?Though animal abuse wasn't technically illegal, and what's done wa
Victor's large, warm hands enveloped Eulalia's cold ones completely.Victor was the golden boy, a perfect specimen in the entertainment world. This perfection wasn't just about his looks, but also his voice and his very soul.They say that pretty faces are a dime a dozen, while fascinating souls are one in a million. Victor had both.Those who knew him well were aware of his quirks - he could be a total dork sometimes, clueless about romance despite being overly narcissistic. His face would betray his Evettery emotion, and his ears would wiggle when he got cocky. For all his self-admiration, he'd turn beet red whenEvetter his crush was near.With Eulalia, he was gentle, wanting to get close but afraid of scaring her off. When she was in trouble, he stood firmly by her side, even if she didn't spare him a glance.Victor's affection for Eulalia was obvious, but his approach was cautious.Eulalia watched his lips move, his soft voice reaching her ears like a gentle breeze, slowly soothin
Eulalia gently stroked the singed fur of the ragdoll cat, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. Her gray eyes were filled with moisture, stinging painfully.Her eyes were either unable to cry or unable to stop once they started. Now they seemed almost blind with grief. She tilted her head back, veins bulging in her neck, mouth slightly open and eyes tightly shut as she let out a hoarse, anguished cry.Her choked, raspy voice was broken, like a rusty knife scraping against a whetstone - so harsh and painful to hear that it made one's heart clench.Victor's eyes were red too, but he turned away silently. He couldn't show any weakness, afraid he wouldn't be able to support Eulalia if he did.Kneeling on the ground, Eulalia slowly scattered dirt over Misty's body, burying her until she was no longer visible. Eulalia's thin frame shook violently, her fragmented sobs growing from quiet to loud as her grief reached its peak.Eulalia had never imagined she could feel heartbreak like t
As much as she wanted to block out the world, cruel voices kept invading Eulalia's ears. Misty wasn't just a cat; she had saved Eulalia's life. They had promised to be together forever. Misty was family, a lifeline in her darkest moments, a light in the shadows.Eulalia's voice was hoarse, her tear-choked words barely intelligible as she called out "Misty" over and over. The pain in her chest was unbearable, desperately needing something to fill the void. Her grip on Victor's shirt loosened as she clutched Misty's collar tightly to her heart."Eulalia," Victor whispered. The girl in his arms was ice-cold, shivering uncontrollably. Her anguished sobs had faded to quiet whimpers.Even after crying her heart out, Eulalia wasn't feeling any better. Her veins were bulging, her temples throbbing. Her body alternated between freezing shivers and feverish heat, her back burning and itching.Victor's heart clenched. He opened his mouth, but no words of comfort came out.Kneeling down, Victor g
Eulalia's hands trembled as she reached out to touch Misty's wounded body. Her hands came away bloody. Ropes had cut deeply into Misty's limbs, and blood covered the cat's body, tail, paws, and head."Misty..." Eulalia's eyes were terrifyingly red, dry from the intensity of her grief. The pain was so extreme she couldn't even cry.In a daze, Eulalia somehow managed to untie the ropes binding Misty. All she could see were the burn wounds on Misty's skin and the blood oozing from four small punctures in the cat's mouth. Misty's sharpest fangs had been viciously pulled out. How much agony had Misty endured?"Misty, I'm here now. Look at me. Didn't we promise to always be together?" Eulalia's body shook as she cradled the bloodied cat. "I'll cancel all my work... I'll stay by your side from now on. I'll never leave you with anyone else again. Please, just hang on a little longer..."Misty lay in Eulalia's arms, struggling to open her eyes at the sound of Eulalia's voice.It's Eulalia... E
Barry noticed the collar around the cat's neck and tried to cut it off with a knife, but it wouldn't budge. Frustrated, she gave up—she couldn’t waste time on a collar.Gripping the cat's jaw, she forced its mouth open, grabbing its sharp teeth with pliers. "You want to bite me? I’ll pull out every last tooth and see if you try that again."Misty trembled, lying helpless on the ground, bound and unable to move. After all, it was just a cat—no way to beg for mercy.Barry's eyes darkened, and with a sharp tug, a sickening crack rang out, like bones being torn from flesh. Misty's scream filled the air."Meow..." Blood spilled from the cat's mouth, staining its once-pristine fur. Misty lay there, defeated, and in that moment, all it could think about was Eulalia."I just wanted to spend more time with you... I wanted to see you again…"...After dinner, Eulalia was told to get ready for the next scene. She glanced at the door, feeling uneasy—Jane hadn't returned yet. Eulalia called her, a
Eulalia took the phone Jane handed her and attached the tracking device to Misty’s collar. “Misty's well-behaved; she won't run off.” “I know, but just in case… too many people dislike me. If they can’t get to me, they might target Misty. A tracker at least adds some safety.” Eulalia focused on the device, missing the brief flicker in Jane’s expression. Jane pressed her lips together, hesitating like she wanted to say something, but held back. “All done,” Eulalia returned the phone, noticing Jane still looked tense. She ruffled her hair. “If something’s on your mind, tell me, don’t bottle it up.” “I…” Jane started, then glanced at Misty in her arms, “I’m fine, really.” “Alright, if you say so.” Eulalia could sense something off, but couldn’t quite place it. Maybe Jane had issues at home these past few days. It wasn’t her place to pry if Jane didn’t want to talk.Just then, Reid called, telling Eulalia to get ready for her scenes. The day was packed with her shoot, and wrap
Percival’s heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand arrows at the thought of Eulalia in bed with Victor. It was only 1 a.m. when he glanced at the clock, and he reached under his pillow for the wedding photo of him and Eulalia. In the picture, she smiled cautiously, her dimples soft, eyes gentle. The photo wasn’t big, but he pressed it to his chest alongside the well-worn journal he often read, then lay back down.That night, he didn’t dream. But when he woke, his eyes were damp, his face sticky with tears that left his skin stinging.As a cancer patient, Percival's body was weak, and he often caught colds easily. The open window and a night of cold wind, combined with the emotional breakdown after seeing the picture Victor posted, left him feverish.The housekeeper was the first to notice and rushed to inform Mr. Lee, who promptly called for a doctor. The doctor came, measured Percival's temperature, and set up an IV. But as the doctor tried to insert the needle, he noticed
Eulalia had never seen a post about herself deleted so quickly before.She sat cradling Misty in one arm, absently fingering the tag on the cat's collar. After a few minutes, her phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number:"Eulalia, I don't want you as a replacement anymore. Stay by my side and I can protect you. Percival is ruthless - if you want a better life, stay far away from that madman."Eulalia frowned as she read the message. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard to reply "Go to hell," but she thought better of it and deleted the draft. There was nothing worth saying to someone like Trent. She blocked the number and set up a custom auto-reply instead.Meanwhile, Trent was anxiously awaiting Eulalia's response. He thought he had made himself clear - surely the small-town girl would get the hint. But after half an hour of silence, doubt crept in. Had she not seen the message? Or was she too afraid to reply?He sent another text:"If you come back to me obediently, I'm will