Wendy was about to reply to Samuel when her phone suddenly vibrated with the sound of an incoming call.Looking at the caller ID, her heart skipped a beat.It was Stanley calling her.Stanley? Why was he calling her? Wasn't he with Jessica?Confusion swept over her, but she didn't answer the call.The phone continued to vibrate for a while, with several more calls coming in one after the other before it finally stopped.Wendy lay back on the bed, the hour growing late. She closed her eyes, but sleep eluded her.As she tossed and turned, a sudden knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.Someone was knocking.Who could it be?The knock came again, sharp and deliberate, the rhythm of the rapping on the door strong and measured.Wendy got out of bed and opened the door. Standing in the hallway was the tall, handsome figure of Stanley.The hospital hallway was quiet at this late hour, the dim lighting casting shadows on his broad frame. He stood there, still as stone, his pie
Wendy pushed him away, her voice firm. "No, it's not!" She struggled, trying to shove him back. In the chaos, she accidentally hit his left hand. Stanley winced, letting out a low hiss. Wendy froze, her concern rising. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" Stanley stared at her, a faint grimace on his face. "My hand hurts." He lifted his left hand, holding it out in front of her. Wendy knew his hand had been seriously injured, but she hadn't realized that he'd had 23 stitches and that they'd only recently been removed. The scar that remained on his palm was deep and long, looking like a caterpillar. They stood in the narrow corridor, lit only by the dim, warm light overhead. The space between them felt charged, so close that they could hear each other's breathing, each other's heartbeats. "Wendy, do you see it? My hand hurts," Stanley repeated, his voice low. Wendy wasn't sure what to make of his constant mention of pain. For a man like him—someone who could withstand
But she still couldn't sleep. Soon, there was a soft knock at the door, signaling that someone had arrived.Who could it be this time?Wendy opened the hospital door to find Zayn standing outside, looking hurried. "Mrs. Hawk."Wendy stepped outside. "Zayn, what's going on? Why are you here?"Zayn's face was filled with urgency. "Mr. Hawk has been drugged by the Crone family. You need to go to Imperial Garden and check on him.""But didn't he tell you to find a virgin? I'm not going," Wendy said, turning to go back into her room."Mrs. Hawk!" Zayn called after her. "What Mr. Hawk said about finding someone else—he was just saying that out of anger! You can tell, can't you?"Wendy hesitated for a moment, her hand still on the door handle."Mrs. Hawk, when we were at the resort, Mr. Lowe took the knife for you. But you can't only focus on how he protected you. You also need to see that Mr. Hawk hurt his hand trying to protect you!" Zayn's voice was firm.Wendy slowly turned to fa
Stanley lifted his gaze, and there she was—a figure so delicate it seemed untouched by the dust of the world. Wendy had arrived.His thin lips pressed together in a tight line. "What are you doing here? Who told you to come?"Wendy stepped into the living room, closing the distance between them until she stood right in front of him."Zayn!" Stanley called out, his voice sharp. "Zayn, where's the girl I told you to prepare? Why isn't she here yet?"Silence.No one answered him.Wendy remained quiet as well.Stanley tugged at the collar of his shirt, his frustration evident. "Get out," he snapped at her.Wendy lowered her long, delicate lashes and met his gaze. "Fine. I'll leave, then."She turned on her heel and started to walk away.The next moment, a large, well-defined hand shot out, gripping her slender arm with force. A low, gritted voice, dark with irritation, rang out. "Wendy!"Stanley was so angry he could barely contain it, her name escaping through clenched teeth.
Wendy froze, her body stiffening as she struggled against him. "Stanley, don't!" she pleaded, her voice trembling.Stanley held her tightly and pulled her back onto the couch. Without hesitation, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a fierce kiss. Wendy fought him, her hands pushing at his chest, but her resistance only seemed to fuel his intensity. In the heat of the moment, Stanley accidentally knocked over a vase, sending it crashing to the floor. Newspapers and magazines scattered everywhere, adding to the chaos.Eventually, Wendy stopped struggling. Her forehead bumped against the edge of the couch, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. Stanley suddenly stilled, his dark eyes widening in shock as he stared down at her. "You're…still…a virgin?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief.He had assumed she wasn't. The thought that she might have been untouched had never crossed his mind.Wendy sat up abruptly, her emotions boiling over. In a flash of anger, she
Asleep, Stanley remained still without giving her any response. Just then, Wendy's phone lit up with an incoming call. It was Luna. Wendy answered quickly, and Luna's panicked voice came through. "Wendy, where are you? You need to get back to the dorm right now—Halsey's in trouble!" What? Halsey was in trouble? Wendy immediately hung up and carefully slipped out of Stanley's embrace. She quickly gathered her clothes from the carpet, slipping them on before hurrying out of the room. Wendy left, and soon after, the door to Imperial Garden clicked open, and someone entered silently. It was Luna. Luna had arrived. She walked into the room, taking in the sight of Stanley, still asleep on the couch, and the clothes scattered across the floor. It was clear to anyone what had happened the night before. Stanley and Wendy had slept together. Luna lifted her hands to unbutton her shirt and slowly slipped it off. Then, she laid herself down next to Stanley, gazing
"After Mrs. Hawk entered the hospital room, I followed your instructions and found you a virgin." That virgin was Luna. Stanley's expression remained unchanged, his face an unreadable mask. "I understand." He walked into the bathroom and turned on the cold shower. The icy water cascaded down from his head, and he closed his eyes, letting it wash over him. His body was marked with several scratches, and there was a deep bite mark on his shoulder. He had thought those were from Wendy, but now he realized they weren't. It had all been just a dream. A dream where he imagined being with Wendy. But she never came. Instead, he had ended up with her classmate. Stanley scrubbed his skin hard, trying to erase the marks, as if washing them away would cleanse him. With a loud bang, a heavy punch collided with the wall, sending a crack through the tiles. - Luna had finished dressing and was waiting for Stanley in the study. Soon, Stanley walked in. He had sh
Wendy rushed back to the girls' dorm and found Halsey sitting on her bed, nursing an injured ankle. "Wendy, I'm fine. I just twisted my ankle while walking today. It's swollen, but I applied some ointment, and it'll heal soon. I don't know why Luna told you to come back because of this. It's nothing major." So Halsey had just sprained her ankle. Luna's phone call had been so urgent, saying that something had happened to Halsey, but she hadn't clarified what. Wendy had been scared out of her wits. "Just rest here. Don't walk around too much," Wendy said, inspecting Halsey's swollen ankle. "Got it." After confirming that it wasn't serious, Wendy finally relaxed. Wendy grabbed her pajamas and went into the bathroom for a hot shower. Her body ached all over. And there were the marks from Stanley—hickeys from last night—dotted across her skin. As she stood under the hot water, her mind wandered back to last night. His eyes were fixed on her, intense and fiery, never le
Wendy said seriously, "As medical practitioners, we must be meticulous. A tiny mistake can lead to disastrous consequences."At that moment, Cyril stood while Wendy sat. Despite the height difference between them, her slender, graceful back was perfectly straight. Her intelligent, clear eyes were full of earnestness as she gave Cyril a lesson, almost as though she were the teacher and he the student.Cyril, speechless, was taken aback. Was she teaching him? Did she really think she was his teacher? He had only one teacher, and that was Dr. Ceylan!Cyril couldn't believe what was happening. He was about to reprimand Wendy, but before he could say anything, she spoke up again. "Alright, Cyril, you can go now."Cyril was stunned. She was calling him by his first name again.The interaction left him speechless. He simply turned and walked away.-Back in the office, Cyril was fuming. There was no way he could have been wrong!He immediately grabbed the "Classic of Herbal Medic
Stanley's deep voice rang out. "Mr. Suarez, are you saying that the genius freshman is attending the Summit Academic Forum?"What?The phrase "genius freshman" struck Jessica like a lightning bolt, instantly capturing her attention. Was the mysterious and aloof genius freshman about to make an appearance?"She's actually been in Hovendale this whole time," Dave replied. "Unfortunately, you've never met her. She'll be attending the Summit Academic Forum, so you two will finally get to meet. Please make sure to find some time to attend the event."Stanley nodded. "Alright."After they hung up, Jessica was in shock. "Stanley, the genius freshman has been in Hovendale all this time? Who is she?"Hovendale's circle wasn't that large, and she had never heard of this brilliant young woman before.Jessica felt uneasy about the existence of this genius freshman. Stanley, equally unaware, didn't know who she was either. Thinking about the freshman's mysterious, cool demeanor, Stanley
Before Zayn could continue, Stanley interrupted in a low voice, "We're divorced. There's no need to update me on her situation."Zayn paused for a moment, then nodded respectfully. "Understood." He turned and left the room.At that moment, Jessica walked out. She had overheard everything Stanley had said. A smile curled on her lips as she approached him. She knew Stanley's decisive nature. Once he had divorced Wendy, he wanted nothing more to do with her.Now, his heart and mind were entirely focused on Jessica. She was his one true love.Jessica stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Stanley's waist from behind.Stanley didn't need to look to know it was her. His gaze shifted from the window, and he lowered his eyes to the small hands that had latched onto his waist.Jessica's right wrist had mostly healed, but there was still a scar, a reminder of the injury that ruined its beauty.As a dancer, she was someone who valued her appearance deeply.Stanley gently took her ri
After the divorce, Stanley and Wendy never contacted each other again. This was the first time he had heard any news about her.It turned out she had fallen seriously ill.Jessica immediately grinned, her red lips curling with a mix of pride, pity, and mockery. "I never would have guessed that Wendy was so deeply in love with Stanley."Trish joined in, mocking Wendy as well. "With her background, she'll never find another man like Mr. Hawk. It's honestly a little sad when you think about it."Jessica tilted her head, gazing at Stanley with a playful pout. "Stanley, now that your ex-wife's sick, don't you think you should give her a call and comfort her?"Stanley remained expressionless, his handsome face still as composed as ever. He looked at Jessica. "Sure. I'll call her right now."He made a move to reach for his phone.Jessica's expression instantly changed. "You wouldn't dare!"Stanley smirked. "Then why did you suggest it?"He was just teasing her—he had no intention of
Losing Stanley hurt more than Wendy had ever expected.She couldn't even explain what it was about him that made her feel this way. He was never kind to her at all. And yet, everyone has that one person in their life they love—someone who might not deserve it, but still holds a place in your heart. She loved Stanley. Her fingers tightly gripped the crystal pendant he had given her, the one she knew she would never let go of. But deep down, she understood—she had lost him. She had lost her Big Brother.At that very moment, Stanley sat in his Rolls Royce Phantom, parked by the side of the road. Through the gleaming windshield, he watched Wendy huddled in on herself, crouched on the street, sobbing uncontrollably.A red haze slowly crept into his dark eyes, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened. Something stung his heart, a pain that wasn't sharp but spread in waves, dense and suffocating.Then his phone rang. It was Jessica."Stanley, have you divorced Wendy?" she asked
Wendy asked if Stanley had ever had feelings for her.The question left him momentarily stunned.Of course, he had.He had once caught himself thinking about Wendy in a romantic sense. He felt reluctant to let go of her—he felt drawn to her, wanting to claim her.He had feelings for Wendy, but in the grand scheme of things, that feeling meant nothing compared to how he felt for Jessica.Now, with the divorce looming, he intended to cut all ties, to sever them completely without hesitation.He spoke the words that seemed to crush the air between them: "Wendy, I love Jessica."He said he loved Jessica.The light in Wendy's eyes slowly dimmed, the question she had asked now feeling like a painful mistake. She had set herself up for humiliation—complete and utter humiliation.Still, she wasn't a sore loser."Then let's get a divorce."Stanley paused. "Go get your marriage certificate."Wendy forced a thin smile and reached into her bag. "I already brought it with me."When
Wendy returned to the girls' dorm and was greeted by a video call from Halsey.Halsey's bright, happy face appeared on the screen, her eyes mischievously dancing. "How did it go last night? Did you and Mr. Hawk, you know..."She wiggled her eyebrows, her expression full of playful insinuation.Wendy chuckled, trying to keep the mood light. "Why aren't you back yet?""I didn't want to interrupt you two. The last thing I wanna do is be a third wheel."With that, Halsey continued, "Mr. Hawk handled Luna really well this time. I honestly think he has feelings for you. You guys consummated your marriage and are officially husband and wife now. I hope things go well for you both, and that you can have a happy life together."Wendy wasn't sure how to respond. She popped a candy into her mouth, letting the sweetness spread across her tongue. After a moment, she smiled and said, "I appreciate that, Halsey. Come back soon, alright?""I'll be back tonight.""Okay."Wendy ended the call
Jessica didn't want Wendy here.Wendy turned to look at Stanley.Still holding Jessica's hand, he slowly lifted his gaze to meet hers.Their eyes locked.Before Stanley could speak, Wendy shifted her gaze and briefly glanced at Jessica before offering a small, polite smile. "I'm glad you're okay. I'll leave now."She turned and walked away.But she didn't leave immediately. She stood outside the door, listening to the conversation inside.Jessica's voice was filled with sorrow as she accused Stanley, "Stanley, tell me. Did you sleep with Wendy?"Stanley looked at the door for a moment before his eyes settled back on Jessica's pale face. "Jessica, I'm sorry."He admitted it.Jessica bit her lip. "Stanley, why? You told me you and Wendy were over!"Stanley's expression darkened. Yes, he had told Jessica that he and Wendy were finished, but he couldn't stop himself from seeking out Wendy. "Stanley, you've forgotten my warning. I told you not to touch Wendy, not to sleep with
Stanley glanced at Wendy before nodding. "Alright."-The two of them arrived at the hospital and entered the VIP ward, where they found Jessica.Jessica lay in bed, her face pale. She was still unconscious, her breathing assisted by a ventilator. Though her right wrist was wrapped in thick bandages, blood could be seen seeping through.Lilian rushed toward Stanley as soon as she saw him. "Mr. Hawk, you're here!"But her movement froze when she noticed Wendy standing behind him. Her expression shifted instantly. "Why did you bring her here?"Wendy gazed at her mother—the one who birthed her—with cold, steady eyes.Lilian's voice grew sharper with anger. "How dare you show your face here, Wendy! Last night, Jessica had heart problems and needed Mr. Hawk by her side. You knew that, but you wouldn't let go of him! Look at what happened—Jessica cut her wrist! Are you happy now that you got what you wanted? You're the one who pushed Jessica to kill herself! Get out of here!"In a