Selena felt a sharp pain in her chest, which caused her to collapse to the ground. She tried to ease the agony. When she looked up, she saw Mark walking toward her. Selena called out, and suddenly, she was sitting up in bed, drenched in sweat. Koven was still asleep, but when he saw Selena awake, he quickly asked if something had happened. Selena was still in shock, her chest aching. The Mark in her dream was terrifying, and Koven seemed so strange. The more Selena thought about it, the more confused she became. She sensed that there was something unusual about this place.“I had a dream, and it left me feeling uneasy,” Selena told Koven, still shaken by the nightmare.“Alright, don’t think too much about it. Tell me, what did you dream about?” Koven held Selena, trying to calm her down. He noticed she was covered in sweat and felt a deep concern for her.“The dream was strange. You were ignoring me, and there were those paintings on the walls, and Mark—everything was so eerie a
That day, Selena's wounds had almost fully healed, and after resting at Mark's house for so long, she felt much more energized.Koven planned to take Selena back since they had already stayed for several days."Mark, thank you for taking care of us these past few days and for helping me and Selena so much. I really don't know how to properly thank you," Koven said as he secretly slipped a check for five million into Mark's pocket.He knew that Mark was not interested in money right now, so if he gave it to him openly, Mark would just return it. It was better to give it secretly.Mark smiled at the two of them, feeling something indescribable inside. "It's no problem. I don't have many friends. The fact that you both stayed with me for so many days really touched me. You're welcome to come and visit anytime."Mark did not have many friends, and in the face of friendship, he felt quite insignificant.Koven knew that Mark still had not moved on from that woman and that he was using
Koven could not help but laugh as he listened to Selena's story. It turned out Selena had this side to her too!…Meanwhile, Matthew and Lucy were busy bathing their children. Lucy was bathing their daughter, Lila, while Matthew was bathing their son, Johnny. The scene was incredibly amusing. Children were naturally soft and delicate, and they looked even more adorable in the water. Both kids were laughing heartily, finding the water extremely fun! Seeing them, Lucy could not help but laugh. Since Matthew was still a bit inexperienced, the couple was learning how to bathe the children while instructing each other.Maria approached them with two towels in hand. "Madam, sir, it's time to get out now. Any more time in the water and it'll be too much!"Maria knew how much the two kids loved playing in the water, but staying in too long was not good for their health, so it was time to dry them off quickly.Lucy tried to lift Lila onto her knees, but as soon as Lila left the water, sh
Lucy gazed at her children, her eyes filled with maternal love. It seemed as though she had suddenly grown up a lot, transforming from a girl into a woman. A girl was innocent and carefree, often acting on impulse; a woman was mature, composed, and deeply responsible. This was the difference between the two, and it was a process every mother had to go through. It was not that everyone had to become mature and steady, transforming like a butterfly. However, when the need arose, you had to hold yourself together and shoulder the responsibilities you had to bear.Lucy was a romantic and carefree girl, but she was willing to mature a little for the sake of love and her children, which deeply moved Matthew. When he first met her, she was still so free-spirited and adorable. Now, as his wife, her demeanor had improved a lot.The children slowly got out of the water. Johnny, their son, was coaxed out with a toy, while their daughter, Lila, was lured out with a bite of food.Maria, a wo
Selena went to another hospital, but again, the doctors found nothing. Disappointed, she left. On the streets, there were office workers everywhere, along with the playful chatter of elementary school students and the focused expressions of college and high school students. They all had different goals but shared a common one—to be happy and to have a better future. Right now, however, Selena did not know what was wrong with her. She just felt uncomfortable.As Selena walked down the road, she seemed distracted. Suddenly, she was pulled into a secluded corner by someone—it was Linus. He looked a bit anxious. "What's going on? Did you remove the listening device? Daniel is looking for you, and he can't find you!"Selena felt uneasy. She was not feeling well, and now that old fox, Daniel, was looking for her at this time."Does he want something?" Selena asked.She actually knew what it was about. She had not completed the task he had assigned her last time, so now, the deadline
Matthew and Lucy walked arm-in-arm to see the Golden Retrievers. The store clerk guided them to the area where the puppies were kept. This section housed the larger dogs.There was a husky barking at them, and Lucy's heart melted once again. She pulled Matthew over to the husky, which was very clever. Seeing potential owners, it began showing off its tricks, sticking out its tongue in a playful manner.Lucy handed the kitten to Matthew and started playing with the husky. Matthew knew that Lucy would take her time looking at the dogs again. He mentally prepared himself to wait an hour, knowing he had no choice—it was his wife, after all.Huskies were notorious for being destructive, which could be traced back to their ancestors, who had to pull sleds daily, so they were naturally restless. When no one played with them, they tended to chew on things. Some people found their 'intelligent' expressions amusing.Golden Retrievers, on the other hand, were very gentle and posed no harm to
The boy left without waiting for the girl to finish her purchase, as if none of it concerned him. Matthew held Lucy's hand tightly, never letting go. Even if the world turned upside down, he would always be by her side.Seeing this scene, Lucy felt deeply troubled and couldn't bear to act as if nothing had happened. She could understand how much the girl loved the boy and how much pain she must be feeling now. Sometimes, loving someone can make you so humble that you're willing to sacrifice your dignity just to see them smile.When the one who gives up realizes they deserve someone better suited to them, they might find greater happiness. And when the one who is loved learns to love, they might desperately seek out the one they once had.Lucy wanted to comfort the girl, but Matthew stopped her. "This is something she has to figure out on her own. Your words won’t help and might even make her think you're meddling."Matthew understood that trust between people in this world can no l
In an old neighborhood, some women were fetching water and washing clothes, some were starting fires to cook, and others were chanting prayers.The morning was always accompanied by a cool breeze, waking people from their dreams. The sky would become lively with colors before the sun rose.Magpies sang on the treetops, and fish and shrimp played in the stream. Slowly, the sun rose from the east.All the anticipation came to fruition at that moment, as the sunlight painted the mountain tops with golden hues, creating a perfect picture against the blue sky.Charlotte was silently chanting in the monastery. She was dressed in gray-blue plain clothes and wore a hat of the same color. Her world seemed to have become dull.In the distance, the sound of the bell rang, reminding everyone that the day was about to begin.Beside Charlotte were some nuns. They seemed to have gotten used to this peaceful and uneventful life without competition. They focused solely on their faith every day.