Yaslyn watched Xoan's retreating figure. She reached out to pull him back, but her hand froze. "Xoan..."Yerick smiled sardonically. "Why be so harsh to drive Xoan away?"Yaslyn lowered her head and took a deep breath. Her eyes were void of any emotion, save for a hint of sorrow. "Stay out of it. I've agreed to your terms, so you better ensure my mother gets the treatment she needs."Though Yerick should have been delighted to hear this, an unsettling feeling crept over him. His gaze held a complexity of emotions. "So you agreed to our engagement only to save your mother?""Isn't that obvious?" Yaslyn retorted.How could she ever feel anything for Yerick, especially after the way he treated her? He even used her mother's illness as leverage!The answer Yaslyn provided was exactly what Yerick had anticipated, yet any lingering hope he held vanished. "Fine. Once we're engaged, I'll ensure your mother gets the treatment she needs.""My mother only has a little over a month left!" Y
A crowd quickly gathered in one direction. Yaslyn stood still as a foreboding feeling rose in her heart, and she moved closer to see what was happening.Susie was on the ground with blood pooling beneath her.From her medical knowledge, Yaslyn deduced that Susie had likely suffered a miscarriage. She immediately called 999 and then checked Susie's breathing.This was odd. Despite the signs of miscarriage, there were also indications of poisoning!With great effort, Susie managed to whisper, her eyes barely open, "Yaslyn...""What happened?" Yaslyn leaned in closer, placing her ear near Susie's mouth to hear her clearly."Save my child, please..." Susie's hand weakly moved toward her lower abdomen.Yaslyn solemnly replied, "We'll need to see what the doctors say at the hospital. I can't help you right now."Upon hearing this, Susie's strength seemed to fade even more. Her eyes lost focus, and she eventually passed out.The ambulance arrived swiftly. Yaslyn and Yerick, abandonin
"Do you want to know why?" Yerick turned to Yaslyn with a cryptic smile, leaving her slightly bewildered.Yaslyn steadied herself and asked, "I do. Why?""Well, I don't feel like telling you!" Yerick then walked away without looking back. However, as if remembering something, he turned to her and added, "By the way, our engagement ceremony didn't go through successfully. It's probably going to be rescheduled in a couple of days, so get ready."Yaslyn swiftly lost interest in Yerick's reasons for poisoning Susie. The thought of the engagement was even more vexing! "Do we have to hold the ceremony again? Everyone already knows about our engagement," she lamented.Then there was the torment of having to wake up at 5 a.m., just to put on makeup."That won't do," Yerick responded, shaking his head with a frown. "I'm a principled man. When I commit to something, I see it through." Having said that, he left.After Yerick left, Yaslyn did not have much to do. She suddenly remembered the
The initial comments seemed harmless, but the last statement clearly carried a personal bias.Anxiety pulsed through Yaslyn. What if, despite all her hard work, the man chose to expel her because of his aversion to her mentor?"Do you truly believe I'm such a person?" The man picked up on her uncertainty. He recognized her fears in an instant, and his eyes flashed with irritation.Yaslyn managed a tentative smile, internally chiding herself. Was his bias not evident from his prior words?Seeing his evident displeasure, she held back her thoughts and cleared her throat to say, "Surely you're not that type of person."The man seemed appeased with her response, grunting in approval. He then led Yaslyn into the massive medicinal ingredient storage room. Glancing around, Yaslyn hoped the vast inventory would have what she was seeking."Now, prepare a remedy for typhoid fever." He glanced at his wristwatch, the minute hand pointing to 3. "You have half an hour.""Thirty minutes is a b
The man stared at Yaslyn—the seemingly innocent and obedient girl who suddenly transformed into an ominous figure—looking at him. He felt a sudden chill in his heart."What do you want?" he asked."I don't want anything," Yaslyn replied.While her words were innocent, Yaslyn continued to move her wrists, taking small steps toward the man."Whoa, hey! I'll have you know…" he stammered nervously, almost revealing his identity. Realizing something was amiss, he quickly shut his mouth, his face turning ashen. "Who are you?"Yaslyn halted. In this brief moment of confusion, the man's expression shifted dramatically."I'm no one," Yaslyn replied. "Now, how are you planning to handle this?"The man scowled. "You're in my space now. It's just the two of us here. Why should I think you're in control?" His confidence wavered, however. "I'll tell you, there are security mechanisms in this pharmacy..."Yaslyn reached behind him, pulled out a button from the floor near his feet, and held it
Yaslyn was lost in her thoughts when Josie walked by and tapped her shoulder. "Yaslyn, what are you thinking about?"Seeing Josie’s innocent smile, Yaslyn immediately felt much better."Nothing much. I was just wondering why the food today smells so awful."Suddenly, a chili pepper landed on her head. Following the direction of the chili, she saw Yerick standing not far away, looking at her menacingly with a smirk."What was that again, Yaslyn?"Yaslyn realized she had spoken too loudly and quickly hushed herself, casting a glance at Josie. The two shared a smile."Actually, I think today's food smells okay…" Josie said, looking puzzled after taking a sniff.Yaslyn chuckled, patting her head. "It was just a joke. Go wash your hands and get ready for dinner. I need to go back to my room for a bit.""Is there any progress with the medicine?""Knowing it will spoil the surprise."Yaslyn playfully pouted and ruffled her hair again. Josie touched her own somewhat mottled face, her
Yaslyn felt a twinge of bitterness reading the news. After all, it was she who pushed Xoan away, so it was not her place to judge his feelings.Shaking off the distraction, she quickly prepared the medication Josie needed and then descended to join the family for dinner.Yaslyn seemed notably distracted, and her appetite waned that evening.Yerick, observing her distant mood, tapped on the table to get her attention. "I expected the news to surprise you, but this seems like quite an overreaction."Yerick, ever so insensitive. Yaslyn was already upset, yet he still had the stomach to taunt her.Responding with a smirk, Yaslyn took a sandwich from the table and thrust it into his mouth. "Eat and keep quiet," she said.Seeing Yaslyn's anger flaring in an instant, Josie, sitting beside her, poked at her noodles nervously, not daring to say a word.Realizing she might have overreacted, Yaslyn calmed herself slightly and turned to Josie, passing her the medicine she prepared. "Josie,
"Even though we had the same exam paper, I scored just one point less than Xoan. However, when I got back, I had to face punishment. They wouldn't even let me eat dinner because I didn't get first place."Yerick took a deep breath, his emotions visibly shifting.A choked feeling gripped Yaslyn's throat. She never imagined that this was the sort of education the Warren family practiced. "So, that time, I stole his paper and burned it."When Yerick spoke of this, there was not a hint of hesitation on his face nor any sign of remorse. It felt like he was talking about a minor incident."What are you planning to do now? Are you going to scheme against him like you did before?" Yaslyn inquired.An unreadable smile crossed Yerick's face. "Why do you assume I was scheming against him?"Was that not what Yerick said?Yaslyn felt the man in front of her was becoming increasingly incomprehensible. It was as if his mental state was deteriorating.Seemingly picking up on her thoughts, Yeri
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