Yaslyn burst out of the room, her heart pounding. After regaining her composure, she took another bottle of medicine—made from the same valuable coneflower—and drove to the hospital.In the hospital, Brad was sitting up in bed and engrossed in a game. He appeared to be in decent shape."Brad, the medicine is ready."Yaslyn tossed a small bottle into Brad's lap.Brad looked at the tiny container. "Will this actually work? Isn't it too small?"He wondered if the finger-sized bottle would even last for one application."Why don't you open it and find out?" Yaslyn replied, uninterested in offering a detailed explanation.Upon uncapping the bottle, Brad was greeted by a refreshing aroma, subtle yet pleasant, imbued with the unique scent of the coneflower. Inside was a gel-like substance.Curious, Brad poked it with his finger, feeling its slight warmth. "Is this meant to be applied to my back?"Yaslyn responded with a smirk. "You could ingest it if you'd like, but be prepared to ha
Savannah Zabel shook her head. "I'm not ill. You don't need to examine me."Yaslyn did not let Savannah's deflection deter her. "Emotional pain is also a form of illness. At least let me understand the situation before making any decisions."Yaslyn glanced at Mrs. Zabel and Yale, who were standing behind her. "Would you both mind stepping out for a moment? I'll call you back if necessary."Yale nodded, and he exited the room along with a visibly concerned Mrs. Zabel. Once they had left, Yaslyn finally adjusted her demeanor."Ms. Zabel, be honest with me. What have you been through?"Savannah could not meet Yaslyn's gaze, she visibly recoiled. "I'm really not—""There's a distinct aroma in this room. Most people wouldn't notice, but I've encountered it before. It's a scent associated with herbal medicine for physical injuries."Yaslyn knew the truth was about to be revealed. She softened her voice and sat on the edge of the bed."Ms. Zabel, whatever you tell me will remain confi
"Share the bed?"Yaslyn felt her face turn red. She glared at him, feigning anger. "Fine, leave."Xoan casually turned his head away. "I won't.""I'll prepare a guest room for you," Yaslyn replied.Xoan shook his head. "I've grown attached to your bed. It told me it would miss me."Yaslyn pursed her lips. "Why don't you ask it out loud and see if it agrees?"Sitting on the edge of the bed, Xoan asked, "Would you mind if I left?"The bed suddenly shook three times, squeaking in response."Do you want Yaslyn to share the bed with me?" he asked again.The bed shook once more, letting out another squeak.Xoan spread his arms, "See, even the bed agrees. You have to share it with me, or it'll be upset.""Xoan, are you being childish?" Yaslyn rolled her eyes."Also, if you sleep alone, a ghost will crawl out from under your bed and stare at you all night," Xoan replied with another tale.Yaslyn slapped him on the head. "I'm not afraid of ghosts!"Xoan looked at her, feigning dis
Brad swallowed nervously, fearing that Xoan would punch him at any second.However, to everyone's surprise, Xoan's eyes revealed a touch of hurt as he frowned and complained, "Honey, he started it."The room was electric. Was Xoan actually being cute?Yaslyn was deeply shocked by this unanticipated behavior. Brad and Yale, standing nearby, were equally stunned. Seeing a rugged, nearly six-foot-three man acting adorable was indeed unnerving.'Wait, did he just call me 'honey'?'Yaslyn swiftly responded, "We're not married, so watch how you address me.""Sooner or later, it'll happen," Xoan confidently replied, a smirk forming at the corners of his mouth."I have my ways."Unable to endure the emotional tumult any longer, Yale abruptly stood up. A vague sadness filled his eyes as he announced, "I have some things to attend to. I'll take my leave."He walked out of the room.Xoan and Yaslyn also had matters to address and did not want to disturb Brad any longer, so they made the
It was six o'clock, right when their workday ended.Soon enough, a sleazy, overweight middle-aged man came out, his face glowing with a smile.Seizing the moment, Yaslyn moved forward, her bag in hand. Accidentally, she collided with Grant."Ah!"Yaslyn tumbled to the ground due to the inertia, her phone flying out of her bag and shattering on the ground."What's your problem?" Grant's good mood vanished instantly.Yaslyn feigned pain and teared up. "I'm sorry. I was preoccupied with a call and wasn't paying attention."Seeing a stunning woman had bumped into him, Grant's anger evaporated. "It's okay, it's okay. Are you alright? Let me help you up."Grant reached out his hand to help her up."I can't trouble you like this. It's my fault that I fell, and my phone..."Yaslyn stood up on her own, a remorseful look on her face. She glanced at her broken phone, a subtle pain crossing her eyes."No worries. I'll buy you a new phone. May I know your name, miss?"Grant was already
Grant chuckled with a sleazy undertone."Of course, I've tampered with the books. Think about it! The Linton Group pays over a hundred and forty million dollars in taxes each year. With that amount of money, the boss would naturally want to save some. All I have to do is fudge the numbers a bit, and we can save a lot. I also get a cut of it."After finishing, Grant subtly flashed a 'nine' with his fingers."Mr. Zuniga, you really are impressive," Yaslyn said, resting her chin on one hand, her smile elusive and mysterious.Grant studied Yaslyn's face, clearly enamored. "Thank you. So, do you get it now?"The mere thought that even a woman of such poise had succumbed to his charm left him feeling quite pleased with himself.Yaslyn stared back at him, finding his smug expression nauseating. Sensing that the matter had been sufficiently dealt with, she discreetly pocketed her voice recorder and prepared to meet up with Xoan."Mr. Zuniga, let's call it a day. I have something else to
The next second, the man felt a searing pain in his wrist and began to wail."Ow, ow, ow! Dude, I was just trying to cheer you up!"Xoan curtly released the man's arm. "Don't touch me."Freed at last, the man shook his sore wrist, grimacing in pain."Your friend has such a weird personality. It must take enormous patience to be friends with him, let alone date him. Despite his good looks, his bad temper probably attracts those with a masochistic tendency.""Why didn't you tell them I'm your boyfriend?" Xoan turned to Yaslyn, his eyes filled with resentment.Yaslyn felt a pang of sympathy looking at Xoan's attractive face, adorned with what seemed like crystalline droplets in his eyelashes."Alright, this is my boyfriend. I'm that person with the masochistic tendency."Well, Yaslyn was not really masochistic. She just had a boyfriend who acted needy at times, making her look bad.The three men dropped their jaws, hesitant to make further jokes about Yaslyn. They suspected that
"I'll wait for you here. You need a quiet environment to communicate and collaborate. I don't want to be a distraction," Xoan said, shaking his head.Yaslyn was touched by Xoan's unusual sensitivity and understanding. However, that impression vanished in a heartbeat."Kiss me before you go," Xoan added, tapping his cheek lightly.Yaslyn was flabbergasted, he had even designated the location for her. How outrageous!"Don't worry. I'll pretend I didn't see anything," assured the surrounding onlookers, covering their eyes."Leon, your fingers are spread so far apart that we can still see your face," Yaslyn said, unimpressed.Leon chuckled and closed his eyes tightly."Come on, give me a kiss," Xoan urged.With a mixture of embarrassment and irritation, Yaslyn leaned forward and pecked his cheek."Yay! I saw it!" Leon's voice rang clear in the silent room.Forrest intervened. "Alright, let's head inside."As they entered the training room, Yaslyn was surprised by how spacious it
Whitey glanced back and forth between them, shaking her head. "You two are a mystery."Suddenly, Doniel stood and waved Whitey over. "Hey, Whitey. Come here for a second."Confused but compliant, Whitey walked over.In a swift move, Doniel took her hand. With a smug look at Matheo, he announced, "I'm taking Whitey off your hands for a bit."Matheo's expression turned steely. "What's your game?""Don't sweat it, she'll be back soon."With that, Doniel led Whitey out.They reached a more secluded spot before Doniel finally released her hand. "Whitey, you're not hurt, right?"Whitey shook her head, twirling in front of him to prove her point. "See? I'm totally fine."Doniel reached out and gently tapped her forehead. "Someone hit you, didn't they? Your face is still swollen, and here you are, telling me it's nothing."Whitey playfully stuck out her tongue. "I just didn't want you to worry. Besides, I'm not the one who got seriously hurt. It was Matheo.""I know. Matheo really d
"Don't make that call!" Whitey screamed in a panic.A harsh slap struck her face as the ringleader yelled, "Shut it, woman! Who said you could talk?"The man, not satisfied after hitting her, gave in to his fury and kicked her. However, before he knew it, Matheo, who was standing nearby, had silently moved behind him. Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed as Matheo snapped the man's fingers with raw force.Matheo wrapped his arms around Whitey and quickly retreated."I can't take it! I'm done. I don't want anything else. Just do it!"The ringleader was seething with rage, the throbbing in his fingers ruining his will to fight Matheo.A few thugs had been itching for a reason to go after Matheo, and they wasted no time grabbing their weapons and launching an assault.Matheo fought back while dragging Whitey out of harm's way, but as the fight dragged on, he started losing ground.A vicious knife cut to Matheo's leg sent him tumbling down with a grunt."Matheo!"Whitey crouched beside
Whitey shook her head. She did not have a clue, and even if she could guess, she did not know what to do about it."I was actually about to..."Before Matheo could finish, a deafening crash rang out.Startled, Whitey clapped her hands over her ears. Matheo wrapped her in his arms and glanced at the rear window.A random stone had shattered the car's back glass, leaving a gaping hole.The chaos erupted out of nowhere, catching both of them off guard. They had been deep in conversation when suddenly, a line of cars barricaded the road, trapping them.Matheo gently patted her head, a silent plea for calm.Whitey, frantic, nodded and fumbled for her phone, only to find it had mysteriously powered down."Stay put in the car and don't worry," Matheo said, handing her his phone."If things go south, call the cops, call anyone."He was ready to step out and face the unknown threat head-on.Whitey protested. "Matheo, we don't know what we're dealing with. Don't just rush out there."
Whitey was back to her usual routine—classes by day, radio station by night. However, she had a luxury she did not have previously. A private car service, ensuring her safety was never in question.Doniel's lips were sealed, not breathing a word of her injury to anyone. Except for Matheo, who had somehow stumbled upon the secret.That night, after her radio gig, Whitey stepped out expecting to see the familiar pink sports car tucked away in its usual spot. However, it was nowhere in sight.Moreover, he had not even bothered to call her. A knot of worry formed in her stomach. Did something happen to him?Whitey had called his number three, maybe four times, but got nothing.As she was wrestling with her thoughts, a familiar yet unsettling figure approached her.Matheo.Why was he there?Nobody knew about Whitey's job at the radio station except Doniel."Doniel's tied up today, so I'm your ride," Matheo said.Alarm bells rang in Whitey's head. How did Matheo know about Doniel
The nurse nodded, gesturing for Doniel to give them some space.Once the bandaging was complete, Doniel returned with a treat—Whitey's beloved chocolate cupcakes."For you. Why didn't you say it hurt? He was so rough, and yet you asked me not to hold it against him."Whitey, her mouth full of frosting, mumbled a reply. "It's not that bad. Besides, you two are usually on good terms. Why fight over pointless things because of me?"Doniel tapped her head gently. "You're such a goof. What are you even talking about? Meaningless things?""I just thought that you two grew up together, so it'd be a shame to fall out over something so small, right?"Doniel huffed, "I never really cared for him, you know.""Okay, let's figure out a plan B. This mess means I might be stuck in the hospital longer, so I'm counting on you to smooth things over back home."Doniel looked at her with a teasing grin. "Relax, I've got this."Somehow, Whitey could always pick up a strange vibe from his smile, an
Whitey was injured, and Doniel rushed her to the hospital that very night. It was just a slash on her arm, but Doniel was beside himself with worry.Watching Whitey grit her teeth through the stitching, Doniel's face turned a shade of stormy gray. "I'll track down that driver's family if it's the last thing I do!"Whitey winced in pain, but seeing Doniel's fury, she tried to soothe him. "Really, it's not so bad."Doniel looked at her bandaged arm. "Thirteen stitches, Whitey. If you're not in pain, I'm in pain for both of us."Whitey was always the center of attention—a princess who was doted on from the day she was born. She had never experienced an injury as severe as that. As Doniel reached for his phone to call Whitey's parents, she quickly stopped him with a hand gesture, wincing as she accidentally grazed her wound, "Please don't call them. They'll just scold me again if they find out.""I told you to let me drive you home. Now, look at what happened because you didn't li
Whitey gripped the edge of her skirt, a new kind of worry blooming in her chest.'What if Matheo was…'She shuddered at the thought, her mind a garden where fears grew into giant oaks, so tall and dark that they scared her.Looking up again, Whitey's eyes widened as she noticed the taxi had taken a wrong turn, heading into unfamiliar territory.In the rearview mirror, she caught a glimpse of the driver's unsettling smirk.Taking a cab late at night was proving to be a bad idea, her heart racing with fear. If only she had accepted a ride from Doniel, none of that would happen. Regret washed over her as she scrambled for her phone, desperate to call for help.Sensing her panic, the driver floored it to a secluded spot and then abruptly stopped the car.Whitey's head snapped forward, hitting the seat, and as the world spun, her phone slipped from her grasp. Then, the driver was toying with her phone, his grin wide and wicked."Planning to call the cops or a friend, sweetheart?""
As time swiftly marched on, three years went by.Whitey nailed her entrance exam into the top university in Jefferson City—Jefferson City University.As for the others, Caleb turned 30, tied the knot, had kids, and took control of Sheldon's international ventures. He and his family packed up and moved overseas, while the rest stayed back."Thanks for tuning into 'Moonlit Wishes,' your go-to spot for all things heartfelt. I'm your host, Macie."At the stroke of ten, Macie's soothing voice filled the evening airwaves."Let's hear from our first caller tonight. Hey there, sir, what's on your mind?"Macie's voice was soothing, soft yet strong enough to coax secrets from the most guarded of hearts."Here's the thing, Macie. I've been head over heels for this girl, but she's always kept me at arm's length, saying I haven't done enough. However, today, I caught her in another guy's arms. What gives?"The man's voice quivered with barely concealed tears, slurred slightly by alcohol.M
"So, just because you're into him, you decide to set me up? How does that make any sense?"Whitey could not help but find her logic almost laughable."Because I noticed he always had a soft spot for you, jealousy clouded my judgment, and that's why I..."Jade inhaled deeply, as if bracing herself for what was to come. "Well, you've uncovered the truth, so there's no point in hiding anything. Punish me however you see fit."What was the point in pleading guilty then?Jade stood there, a mix of defiance and dignity, stubborn even in the face of her mistake.Whitey was not looking to lay blame. "I'm not going to take this to the principal, and I won't breathe a word of it to anyone else. However, as of today, our friendship is done. I'll find a new place to sit when we get back."Whitey let out a tired sigh. "There's something else you should know. He's got a girlfriend now."Jade's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, are you two an item now?""No, I'm not the one he's dating."Wi