You said your thigh is injured."In the office, Willow sat in her chair; her captivating eyes appeared skeptical as they focused on the handsome man before her.Arthur adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. Despite his blood-stained pants, it didn't affect his air of elegance and nobleness."Yeah, my thigh hurts; it should be a serious injury. My ankle also hurts, and there's slight discomfort in my chest. But other than that, there doesn't seem to be anything else."Joseph stood beside him, looking apologetic. "It's all my fault, Arthur. Had I not acted rashly and engaged in a road rage, we wouldn't have been here now…"Arthur had drunk quite a bit that night, and Joseph didn't let the chauffeur drive. Instead, he wanted to drive Arthur's Range Rover to send him home.On the way, he encountered a road rage incident. He and the other driver chased each other, putting on a show of speed and passion. As a result, they got into a car accident.He was safe from injuries, but because Arth
"You don't believe me?" Willow pinched Arthur's ankle and continued the examination. "You're good. It's swollen because you twisted it, but your bone is fine."She stood up, extended her hand, pried open his shirt, and touched his chest. "Does it hurt?""Not really."What was she touching him for?"No major issues. Just get an X-ray. If there's nothing serious, the director of the Surgical Department will take care of you." She jotted down the diagnosis and handed it to him.Arthur hinted at her. "Am I leaving in this state?"His thigh was still exposed."Got it." Willow removed her white coat and put it over his thigh. "The nurse will change you into a loose hospital gown. You'll probably receive stitches on your cut. I suggest you be hospitalized for a day.""Thanks, Dr. Quade," he thanked her politely, then wheeled himself out. He had just turned to leave when he cocked his head at her again.She was confused. "What's wrong?""Are you single, Dr. Quade?"Willow's eyes nar
Willow's words hit Ronald's sore spot. He was William's younger brother, and with William's health steadily declining, his sons had proven to be no competition for Ronald. As a result, the entire family had once treated him with the utmost deference. The family was slowly slipping under his control—until William decided to reconnect with Wilson, William's illegitimate son.Wilson wasn't a saint, either. After becoming the head of the family, he outright seized Quade Group from Ronald, undoing all of his years of hard work.Everything he had invested in was in vain, and that was the pain he would carry for the rest of his life."Silence!" Ronald delivered a harsh slap to Willow's face. She was struck so hard that her head jerked to the side.Carmen stepped forward, her expression filled with panic. "Lo, how could you speak to your father like that? Apologize to him now! Let me make a new arrangement for you to meet up with Leonard."Mrs. Jones has been telling me how happy she'd
The bruises on Serena's face made Lauren feel saddened yet angered. "That scumbag did that to your beautiful face? Knife—I need a knife. I'm going to chop his wiener off!""It's fine. He suffered way more injuries than me." Serena was surprised. "Also, how did you know I'm here?""I have Wilson's assistant's number. His name was… Sebastian… or something. Anyway, I couldn't reach you all morning, so I called him. Then, I found out you got abducted by Shawn!"Her eyes reddened. "Thank goodness you're okay, Rina. Otherwise, I'd be plagued with guilt for the rest of my life. I should've stuck with you last night!"Aaron chimed in, "She went crazy as soon as she heard about you this morning. While we were on the way here, she cursed Shawn about a million times."Serena chuckled. "None of us could've foreseen it. Things might not have been that different even if you were there, Laurie. Don't blame yourself for that."Lauren, full of concern, asked, "Are you getting discharged now? Are
Serena halted her footsteps. Meanwhile, Lauren inched closer to her ear, sounding excited. "Oh, my gosh. Your Prince Charming is waiting for you right there!"Serena was speechless. Wilson was neither her Princess Charming nor waiting for her. She strode toward him and asked, "Mr. Quade, why are you here?""To see you." Wilson stood in place, his gaze falling onto her. "Not bad. You've recovered faster than I imagined.""I can resume work in two days—""Don't worry about work. Sebastian has found your temporary replacement. Your recovery is the priority here." He then hinted at her. "Do you want me to give you a ride?"Being the perceptive assistant, Sebastian quickly pulled open the door to the Lincoln limousine.Before Serena could say anything, Lauren, visibly amazed by the vehicle, quickly affirmed, "Of course! Thank you for the offer, Mr. Quade!"She slipped in like a loach, smooth and agile, her action baffling both Wilson and Serena."Well, that's Laurie for you. Please
Willow was displeased."Wilson, we're family, and you've never given me such an expensive gift," she complained.Wilson narrowed his eyes slightly. "You've never asked me for one," he replied calmly.Willow said, "Well, I'm asking now! Give me something valuable too, will you? Wilson, the way you spend money is so dashing. From today onward, you're officially my favorite person in the family!"Wilson's expression remained nonchalant. "Your flattery is too fake. It's sycophantic."Willow was speechless. His standards were ridiculously high.Lauren grinned and leaned closer, throwing an arm around Willow's shoulders. "You won't make it. You've been a pampered girl for too long. You'll never master my level of bootlicking. Don't worry, though. I'll teach you my tricks someday."Wilson's gaze shifted to Serena. "What about you, Ms. Judd?" he asked.Serena lifted her beautiful eyes. "Hm?" she murmured."Aren't you going to ask me for something?" he questioned."No need," Serena an
Aaron smiled faintly and nodded. "Yes, real estate is our main business. However, the industry has hit a bottleneck in recent years. The economic environment hasn't been great, and things have been going downhill. It's been tough."Wilson didn't respond to his words.He merely gave a faint acknowledgment, resting one hand against his head while scrolling through his phone with the other. Aaron was left standing awkwardly to the side, feeling an invisible pressure.Earlier, Wilson had seemed warm and approachable when he was around Serena and the others. It had given the impression that he was easy to get along with.Now, Aaron realized Wilson had never been easy to approach.In the kitchen, Serena and the others had finished preparing the barbecue. They carried out a small tabletop grill along with plates of marinated meats, vegetables and sauces.Since Serena was injured and couldn't eat anything too spicy, they had prepared a mix of mild and spicy options to suit everyone's tas
After the barbecue, everyone eagerly pitched in to clean up. They washed the dishes, tidied up Serena's small apartment, and had everything spotless in no time. Aaron even rolled up his sleeves and helped wipe down the table.The only one who stayed seated was Wilson. He casually leaned back in his chair, watching the stock market trends on his phone.Willow muttered, "Wilson's something else. He couldn't even make an effort in front of Serena. How could he just sit there like a king while everyone else cleans? He's completely oblivious."Lauren immediately fired back, "You don't get it, do you? Mr. Quade is busy. He's managing multimillion-dollar deals, and you want him to mop the floor? I think you're the one who's clueless."Willow laughed wryly. "Seriously? A watch is all it takes to win you over? You're his little lackey now."Lauren grinned. "Hey, not just anyone gets to be Mr. Quade's lackey. If I can, it's because I earned it."Willow rolled her eyes.The apartment was s
All Wilson got from Serena was a polite "Thank you.""Is that all?" Wilson asked, bewildered by the difference in treatment.Serena hesitated for a moment before offering, "I'll buy you a meal next time?"Wilson scoffed in disbelief. "So, Damian gets a pat on the head for being heartbroken by your suffering, and all I get is a 'thank you'?"She eyed him speechlessly. "Do you want me to give you a pat on the head, too?""Yes," Wilson answered boldly.Left without a choice, Serena reached up and rubbed his head. "There, are you happy now?"His face finally softened. "Yeah."Serena looked resigned. She had come to realize just how childish Wilson could be sometimes. As she ruffled his hair, she noticed how soft and silky it was and couldn't resist caressing it a little longer. But just as she was about to draw her hand back, Wilson's straight-backed figure leaned close to her and slumped forward until his head was resting in her lap.His eyes were closed as he muttered, "I'm sl
"Damn it!" Justin punched the wall beside him.Joseph stood in place, feeling awkward as he watched Justin's violent outburst. "Justin, shall I give you some space to calm down?""Go away," Justin bit out. "I don't want to see you or Arthur right now!"Joseph left wordlessly, unsure what to make of the fight earlier.…After being discharged from the hospital, Serena told the others she had to swing by the police precinct. Lauren offered immediately, "I can come with you.""It's alright, you don't have to," Serena replied.Wilson stepped forward. "I can go with her."Serena nodded. "Mr. Quade can come with me. You guys should probably head home."The others left, their expressions unreadable.Lauren muttered under her breath, "It's normal for them to want to spend time with one another, given it's the start of their relationship. Rina isn't the type to turn on her friends the moment she hooks up with a guy. As her friend, I shall respect her and wish her all the best…"After
Rapport had Joseph and Arthur fall into synchrony as they hoisted Justin out of the hospital room. Lauren laughed at the comical sight of the trio. "It's like watching a pantomime! I guess not even men are immune to theatrics. I'll go eavesdrop on them!"She made to go after the trio, but Willow held her back by the collar."Give them a little privacy to hash things out," Willow said before turning to look at Serena and Wilson. She couldn't help her curiosity as she asked mischievously, "So, what's going on between you and Serena, Wilson?"Wilson answered, "It's not up to me to explain."He eyed Serena meaningfully, his gaze dark and amused. Serena felt a little self-conscious as she said, "We'll talk about this later.""Sure." Wilson smiled as he offered, "I'll give you a ride home."…Joseph and Arthur dragged Justin into a stairwell. Shaking off their vise-like grip, Justin demanded, "I want an explanation right now!"Joseph stammered helplessly, "O-On what?""What do you t
Joseph rubbed the back of his head and said, "I don't think Serena wants to see you right now, Justin…"Justin's face darkened when he heard this. He was about to snap at Joseph and Lauren when the room door opened.Wilson leaned against the doorframe with one hand in his pocket, nonchalance coloring his handsome face as he eyed the trio bickering in the corridor. "Mind the noise."Justin nearly flew into a rage as he beheld Wilson. "Where's Serena?"A calm, collected voice rang out from the room. "Is something the matter?""Rina!" Lauren ducked under Wilson's outstretched arm and hurried into the room. "Rina, how are you feeling?""I'm fine. I got away with only minor wounds and abrasions, but I am pretty exhausted and ended up sleeping for longer than expected," Serena explained."How are you coping mentally?" Lauren pressed, her eyes wide with worry. Serena was already dealing with enough emotional baggage, to begin with, and the traumatic events of the last two days must hav
Without hesitation, Wilson cupped the back of Serena's head and kissed her back deeply. His kisses were careful and lingering at first, then slowly became passionate and demanding.With one hand holding Serena's head in place and the other gripping her slender waist, he practically hauled her upright and eased her into his lap. His body tightened as the soft curves of her body molded against the hard planes of his, and his system went into a frenzy.Weak as it was, his voice of reason compelled him to end the kiss before things went further. But Serena suddenly moaned in the back of her throat, the sound soft yet catalytic. Whatever trace of reason Wilson found vanished into thin air as he pinned her to the bed and deepened the kiss, his teeth grazing her lips hungrily. He pressed her close, willing all and any distance between them to melt away.The bed rattled slightly beneath them, and the air in the spacious hospital room grew too warm too quickly. The tension between Serena a
Serena put on a fresh change of clothes. In the car, she dozed off in Wilson's arms. She had gone a whole night without sleep, and the events of the last two days took a toll on her mental and physical strength.Serena slept deeply and woke up in the hospital room. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled her nose.She slowly opened her eyes when she heard a soft noise coming from her bedside and turned to find Wilson sitting there, peeling an apple. He paused and met her gaze."Mr. Quade…" Serena began.However, she was interrupted when Wilson clapped a warm hand over her forehead and caressed her skin. "You're not running a fever. That's good.""Didn't the nurse take my temperature earlier?" Serena asked."You knew about that?"She nodded. She had awoken a few minutes ago and was drifting in and out of sleep when the nurse attended to her. She'd felt the latter take her temperature.Wilson pointed out, "So, were you pretending to be asleep, then? You fooled me. I even heard you s
Just as Thomas was about to dunk Serena underwater again, a loud bang cut through the air, followed by Thomas' piercing scream. He clamped a hand over his right shoulder where crimson blood bloomed across his shirt.Serena looked up at the towering cliffside to see Wilson aiming his gun in Thomas' direction. She watched as Wilson shrugged off his jacket and dived into the lake. Behind him, several men took their positions on the cliff.Tears pricked Serena's eyes. She kicked Thomas away and swam toward Wilson with as much force as she could.Thomas snapped to his senses and immediately pushed forward to swim after Serena. However, his wounded shoulder hindered his swimming. "Stop! Come back right now, damn it!"Less than 50 yards separated her and Wilson, yet Serena felt as if they were worlds apart. After what felt like ages, a strong arm finally pulled her into a warm embrace. Wilson held her close and murmured, "I'm here now. You have nothing to be afraid of."Serena breathed i
Despair flashed in Mollie's eyes. Suddenly, someone gripped her wrist. She turned to see Serena staring at her evenly and whispering, "Head southwest."With that, Serena nudged her away before darting out of their hiding place and bolting in the opposite direction."Shit!" Thomas swore upon seeing Serena. He leaped down the hill and ran after her.The blood drained from Mollie's face. She clenched her jaw and ran southwest like Serena told her to. As she ran, tears streamed down her face, and she prayed that Serena would get away safely.…"Damn it! Stop running!" Thomas roared as he pursued Serena.Serena was barefoot and practically flying through the woods. She had always been strong, and her stamina was second to none when it came to running. However, biology became her biggest hurdle, and it didn't take long for Thomas to catch up to her.He pulled her back by her hair and flung her to the ground, using inertia to his advantage. She hit the forest floor and felt her head s
Mollie said weakly, "Go on without me, Serena. I'll only hold you back."Serena hauled Mollie to her feet and reassured her, "We must have shaken them off after running for so long. I can hear running water somewhere. Maybe we'll find a stream where we can clean your wounds."Mollie could tell Serena did not intend to leave her behind. Tears welled up in her eyes.Seeing this, Serena asked, "Why are you crying?""I just feel bad because… I was so mean to you, yet you're risking your life to save mine. I'm a terrible person!" Mollie sobbed."Don't say that about yourself. Compared to your mother and Justin, you were practically nice," Serena comforted her. Indeed, Mollie hadn't done anything terrible to Serena save for a few acerbic comments here and there.Mollie was speechless as she considered Serena's words. She then said, "You sure know what to say to make people feel better.""Come on." Serena looped her arm through Mollie's and gently but firmly guided her forward. Sure