Caroline replied, "The triplets are five years old."Zeke paused briefly and glanced at Caroline's slender figure. "I couldn't tell that you have three kids and still maintain such great shape.""You're very kind, Mr. Jung. Now that the contract is signed, are you available tomorrow morning, Mr. Jung?" Caroline took a sip of water, her face slightly blushing."I am. I'll have the bodyguard pick you up tomorrow. What time do you usually wake up, Ms. Shenton?" Zeke asked.Caroline answered, "I usually get up around 7:00 a.m."She habitually woke up at 7:00 a.m. to care for her children and only slept in if she was exceptionally tired."Alright. I'll have the bodyguard wait for you at 7:30 a.m.," Zeke confirmed.Caroline nodded. "Certainly, Mr. Jung.""Don't call me Mr. Jung anymore. It's too formal. We're partners, but we can also be friends, right?" Zeke suggested.Caroline found it a bit challenging to address him by his first name.Zeke smiled. "You don't mind if I call you
Tyler furrowed his brow and sat beside Liora, gently running his fingers through her hair."I know you'll feel better after getting an injection later," Tyler reassured her.Axel picked up a warm glass of water and asked, "Would you like some water, Lia?"Liora shook her head, her face contorted with discomfort. "No, I don't feel like drinking. I feel like throwing u—"In an instant, Liora covered her mouth, pushed Axel aside, and rushed to the bathroom.Tyler and Axel quickly followed her into the bathroom.Concerned, Axel tried to recall what Liora had eaten the previous night as her face turned ghastly pale from vomiting. He struggled to pinpoint the culprit.However, Tyler and Axel had no symptoms.Soon, the housekeeper arrived with Reuben in tow.Reuben's eyes widened in shock at the sight of Liora vomiting bile near the bathroom entrance. He gently patted her back and said, "Ms. Liora, I'm taking you to the hospital."Tears welled up in Liora's eyes as she whimpered, "I
The bodyguard nodded and turned to wake up Daniella, but she remained asleep. This made Bernard impatient. "Wake her up!" he ordered.The bodyguard slapped Daniella's face, shocking the other patients nearby. Someone approached and questioned, "Why are you doing this to the patient? Look at her condition!"Bernard smiled and replied, "We're just trying to wake a criminal."The person turned to look at Daniella in shock and then walked away. Daniella finally woke up after receiving a second slap. Her body jolted, and her eyes opened abruptly. Seeing Bernard, she was terrified and asked, "W-What do you want?"Bernard gestured to the two bodyguards and signaled them to close the curtain. They followed his orders.Reuben carefully approached with Liora in his arms, paying no attention to the patient who was staring at him. He heard Bernard's voice from behind the curtain. "Ms. Love, you don't want to be tormented like this, do you?"While enduring the pain in her head, Daniella
Evan wanted to help Caroline with her problems, but he ended up making things worse.'How can I explain this to Caroline?' he wondered.Liora was peacefully asleep in her bed when she heard a voice."Time to wake up, little one," an ethereal voice whispered.Liora could move her eyes but couldn't quite open them.'Who's speaking to me?' she thought."Why won't you wake up? Sleeping is no fun," the woman said.Liora felt a surge of anger. 'What do you mean by no fun? How am I no fun?'Struggling, Liora finally managed to open her eyes.She saw Evan standing there, his gaze fixed on her.Behind him, there was a woman in a patient gown, her long hair hanging loosely. She smiled at Liora, though something was unsettling about her.The woman was undeniably beautiful but extremely thin, and her gaze was rather terrifying.Evan noticed Liora was awake and asked, "Lia, are you feeling unwell?"The woman turned to Evan and said, "Is this your father? He's quite handsome."Liora wa
Noticing something was wrong, Dr. Ortiz turned to Evan and said, "Mr. Jordan, why don't we have the child see a psychiatrist?""I'm not sick! Why won't you believe me!" Liora was upset.Evan tried to reassure her, "You're just going to talk to a doctor, Lia. It's going to be okay."Liora pouted, her eyes welled with tears. "Why won't you believe me, Mommy and Uncle Kenny do…"Evan sighed. Seeing his daughter so upset, he felt at a loss but knew consulting a psychiatrist was necessary.After Dr. Ortiz left, Evan comforted Liora by caressing her back for a while before leaving the room to call Reuben.He asked Reuben to find a psychiatrist and shared the details of Liora's recent incident.Reuben called back after half an hour."Sir, I've found an excellent psychiatrist, but they can only come to Angelbay later tonight."Evan checked the time. "When will they arrive?""Around 7:00 p.m. I've already told them to come to Villa Rosa and informed them about Ms. Liora's condition,"
Liora suggested, "Can we go to the playroom? I want to play with Legos."Sophia offered, "Can I carry you there?"Liora signaled to Evan, prompting him to put her down.Evan gently placed Liora on the floor, and she eagerly told Sophia, "Let's go!"Sophia smiled and held Liora's hand, saying, "Of course."In the playroom, Liora enthusiastically introduced her favorite toys to Sophia.Sophia listened patiently as Liora talked. When Liora was done talking, she asked, "Your name is Lia, right?"Liora beamed and replied, "Yes, I'm Liora Shenton."Sophia held Liora's hand and observed, "You have a fair complexion. Do you know how to draw?"Liora responded promptly. "Yes! What would you like to see me draw?"Liora grabbed a canvas as she spoke.Sophia pondered for a moment and then asked, "Hmm... Did you see anything fun or exciting in the past two days?"Liora shared, "Yes! I saw a beautiful woman today! She's beautiful but really strange." As she talked, she began to draw on th
Sophia's body was covered in goosebumps, and she felt a chilling presence in the air. It sent shivers down her spine.She noticed that the room's heating was turned on. This gave her a chance to look around and hand Liora a piece of paper."Lia, could you draw the beautiful lady now?" she asked.Liora glanced at the paper, then furrowed her brows. "I've already drawn her on the canvas, haven't I?""I'd like to see what she's doing now. Is that okay?" Sophia insisted.Liora let out a sigh and accepted the paper. "This is such a hassle...""Thank you, Lia."Liora peered ahead and said, "Stay still! This lady wants me to draw you! Do you want to strike a pose?"The woman in a patient's gown, floating before Liora, replied, "You're quite demanding, you little rascal.""I'm not a rascal. I'm Lia!" Liora retorted."Go ahead. No one will believe you even if you draw me," the woman said, floating up to sit on the windowsill.Liora shot her a disapproving look. "You talk so much!"S
Sophia told him straightforwardly that Liora could see ghosts!Evan looked at the drawings in his hand once more with a tense expression, muttering, "These people can't even help a child properly!"Evan crumpled the drawings in frustration and headed to the living room.As he entered through the backdoor, Liora's voice reached his ears.Liora asked, "What's a camellia? I know about lilies."I see. Why do you want it?"I don't understand what you're saying, but I can ask Tyler for money to get it for you."The graveyard? No, I won't go to that scary place!"Evan felt rooted to the spot after hearing Liora's words. He watched her talking to herself on the sofa with astonishment, and an ominous feeling crept over him. He recalled Sophia's warning.After a moment of contemplation, Evan walked toward Liora with a troubled expression.When the female ghost saw Evan approaching, she floated away from Liora.Liora noticed and said, "You're scaring her! She floated away…"Evan follo
Reese winced in pain. "Alright, ma'am. I guess I can read your mind? Be gentle!"Liora relaxed her grip at last. "Right, when are we going to that place you mentioned previously?""There's no rush. Your body isn't up for constant actions now. What if you get hurt by those harmful spirits again? I've already committed myself to you out of guilt. If it happens again, I won't have anything else to offer."Liora chuckled. "You make it sound like I'm desperate for your compensation.""What's wrong with that? I'm a strong, handsome man, and everyone loves me!" said Reese, displeased.Liora was astounded by his narcissism.She took a deep breath and said, "Reese.""Hmm?"Liora said, "In truth, I'm not the best choice to be your partner because of my profession. Those spirits may bother me from time to time. I'm the complete opposite of Isaac because of my negative physique.""What happens when you have a negative physique?""Spirits will be drawn to bother me and might cause me a lo
Reese and Isaac couldn't perceive the spirit, but they witnessed a dark mist dissipating before them.Isaac asked in astonishment, "What's happening, Lia?"Liora turned and answered, "The female spirit didn't want to move on, so her soul has been dissolved.""Dissolved? Do you mean her soul has been destroyed?" asked Reese. Liora nodded and looked around. "Uncle Kenny, please help me find the six spirits."Kenny took on the task and brought those fearful spirits in just a few minutes. Liora asked, "Do you want to choose the same option as her or come with me to Cross Chapel?""Cross Chapel!""We would have left long ago if we weren't trapped here by her threats!""She wouldn't let us go even in death. Aren't our lives worth anything?"After Fiery Red was gone, these spirits began to complain in anger.Liora was infuriated by their complaints. "How dare you criticize her! She may be responsible for your deaths, but what about you then? Do you think you bear no responsibil
"That's easy for you to say! Those who caused my death may have become spirits, but I still want to stop them from moving on!" Fiery Red barked. Liora frowned. "So, you're implying that those six students caused your death?""Why would I kill them otherwise?"Liora said, "It's time to let them go now that they've faced your revenge. Keeping them trapped is like trapping yourself. Why bother?""Allowing them to move on is letting them off too lightly!" Fiery Red roared. Liora said, "Your obsession is too strong and is keeping you trapped here. You're constantly hurting yourself with painful memories. If you move on properly, it will be a kind of liberation from your past.""Don't preach to me! I'll make it simple for you. It's either you die or my soul gets destroyed!" Fiery Red snapped. She was about to attack Liora just as she finished her sentence. Liora was planning to call out to Isaac when a figure suddenly showed up. Kenny rushed over and blasted away Fiery Red."Y
Tyler did not comment further upon hearing Liora's reply. In the evening, Isaac returned home from school to find Liora already there. He hurried over, brimming with excitement. "You're back, Lia! How are you feeling? Have you recovered from your injuries?"Isaac's smile stretched from ear to ear.Liora glanced at Isaac meaningfully and said, "Please do me a favor tonight, Isaac."Isaac nodded repeatedly. "Sure, are we heading to the campus?"Liora looked at Isaac in astonishment. "Are you not scared anymore?"The smile on Isaac's face faded slowly. "Spirits are scary, but I don't want to see you bullied by them again, Lia. I wanted to destroy those spirits on the same day after seeing you suffer. However, they told me to respect your decision, so I didn't do that."Liora caressed Isaac's head affectionately. "You've grown, Isaac. You know how to look out for me now."Isaac took Liora's hand and held her hand tightly in his own. "Lia, I've always cared about you. Next time you
Reese said, "Yes, you have been in love with her for 15 years and have invested a lot of time for her. However, haven't you noticed that Lia is a very rational person? As soon as she figures things out, she can move on immediately."Chester's breathing became irregular. He took two deep breaths shakily while staring at Reese. "Yes, she is more sensitive and rational than anyone else."Reese said, "I'm going to give you another analogy. If Lia chooses to be with me, what are you going to do?""Nothing. I said before that I'd respect Lia's choice no matter what. Similarly, you don't have to worry about anything else. I won't harbor any resentment because of love," Chester replied. Reese said, "In other words, you'll continue to be friends with Lia even if we end up together, is that right?"Chester frowned. "Lia and I are friends. If we can't be together, our relationship will remain the same as before. You like Lia, but you can't stop me from being friends with her, Reese."Reese
Reese raised his right arm and said, "My entire right arm was covered in blood at the time. I watched the removal of rotten flesh from your back with my own eyes. I couldn't sleep peacefully for days.""That's easy! Just get the doctor to prescribe sleeping pills to you. You will be able to sleep better, right?" Liora said while giggling. Reese crouched down next to the bed, smiling. "Lia, are you mad at me?"Liora was confused. "Mad at you? For what?"Reese scratched his nose. "If I didn't take you there, you wouldn't have gotten injured."Liora took a glance at him, astounded. "This has nothing to do with you taking me there. It's the ignorant spirits. I'll deal with them all once I recover!""You still want to go back there?" Reese exclaimed. "Yes, of course! Hades will be delighted if I can send the seven spirits to him," Liora said. Reese looked at the joyous smile on Liora's face, feeling guilty. "I was hoping that you'd scold me instead of talking to me so casually."
Reese sent away Tyler and the other, surging them to get some rest while he remained seated, his gaze fixed on Liora.She slept peacefully, her chest rising and falling slowly with each breath. Meanwhile, a nurse approached. Reese noticed her and hastily stood up. "Hello, nurse."The nurse asked, "How can I help you?"Reese said, "May I inquire when Liora can be transferred out of the ICU?"The nurse said, "I'm not too sure about that. It depends on the healing of her wounds and vital signs. She has the most extensive wound that I've ever seen on a girl. She might end up with scars…"The nurse opened the door and walked inside upon saying that. Reese was overwhelmed by a sense of guilt as he thought of the debt he owed to Liora. He knew he could never fully repay it in this lifetime.-Three days later, Liora was transferred out of the ICU.After learning about the incident, Caroline and Evan rushed to the hospital. They were heartbroken to see Liora lying prone on the be
Fear and worry flooded Reese's mind, making it impossible for him to sleep. He opened his eyes and looked at the sky through the skylight. Reese could not help Liora in her profession, so he wondered if he could help out in her safety. He thought about it before he grabbed his phone to text Tyler. Reese: [Can you tell me where Ms. Yelena is staying?]Soon, Tyler texted Yelena's hotel and room number. Reese: [Thank you, my friend.]Tyler sneered.Tyler: [I haven't settled the score with you over Lia's predicament.]Reese: [I'll accept any punishment you deem necessary. It was my mistake, and I'll take responsibility for it.]There was no reply from Tyler afterward.Reese did not send another text, so he started the car and drove to the hotel. -Half an hour later, Reese arrived at the door of Yelena's room. He pondered briefly before knocking on the door. Soon, he heard a response. "Coming."Yelena opened the door and was surprised to find Reese. "Are you the lad fro
Liora opened her palm. The outline of the charm was vague, but she could feel its intense energy. She took a deep breath and stood up. After sensing her movement, the spirits glanced at her. Liora turned to look at them and felt the same feeling that stopped her from leaving again!Suppressing the fear, Liora braced herself to walk out of the door.The closer she got to the door, the more intense the gloomy presence became—she felt as if her soul was being crushed. "Don't be scared, Lia!""Try to walk out, Lia! They won't hurt you!""Lia! Axel, Ty, Mr. Gates, and I are waiting for you!"Αfter hearing their voices, Liora shed tears. She gnashed her teeth and continued to stride toward the door, which seemed so close yet remained out of reach. She took a deep breath, raised her hand with the charm, and attempted to walk closer. This time, the spirits all turned to look at her. They rushed forward in unison when they sensed Liora was about to touch the door. Sensing t