Tabitha's POV
"He didn't do it, but the photos indeed came from him. Everyone knows he's a lecher, and any pretty woman can lure him easily. You know what? Maybe some woman used his phone to send them to Ms. Mendoza," Emma analyzed."You're right."The last thing the mastermind behind the scenes wanted was for me to know about his or her identity.The person was certain that I'd pin it on Henry and look into him.I had to say that the person was quite scheming.But this happened to give me a direction to work on. I'd know the whole truth as long as I knew who had approached Henry.Great! I was one step closer to the truth. Instantly, I was in a much better mood. After all, it was the only good news I had heard these few days.Yet in the next second, someone I was familiar with entered Group C's office.She was dressed decently with delicate makeup. Seeing that, the receptionist greeted her nicely."Ma'am, who are you here for?"Tabitha's POVDerek's overwhelming Alpha aura filled the entire office.Holly swallowed and said, "I did it for your sake. I know Tabitha's been pestering you. Now that you're about to get engaged to Daphne, I wanna be of help."I was just about to open my mouth when Derek beat me to it. He said, "I think you've got one thing wrong."He placed the cup in front of her and continued, "I've been the one pestering Tabitha."His words were like a slap in Holly's face.She failed to come back to her senses even after quite a while. Then she stammered, "What? How ... could it be? You... You and Tabitha have been on bad terms, right? Besides, you've already gone through the rejection ceremony. And you have kids with Daphne already. So, I figured...""Seeing isn't always believing, not to mention it's all rumors. It's your family's affairs, so I wasn't in a place to say anything, but I'd like to remind you something. Tabitha is your daughter, and Daphne is
Tabitha's POVMy words made Holly blush.After finishing speaking, I looked back at Derek and said, "I didn't do anything wrong. Why are you firing me?"He looked at me indifferently. "You've only come here for just a few days, yet you've already caused great trouble. I don't want you to ruin my company's image. I'll have HR pay you three times your contract. You can go down to get your money now."I was so reluctant to give up. Shit! Of all times, he wanted to see me gone right now? Right before I was about to find out the truth?Unfortunately, I had just made a clean break with him, so I couldn't play soft right now at all.Derek said meaningfully, "Isn't this exactly what you want?"I clenched my fists tighter and tighter. In the end, I unclenched them."Yes. I see."Holly got her way and became gentle again."Tabitha, tell me if you need money. You know, the Amber's Eye Pack has many industries, too. Mark can get you anything you
Tabitha's POVThe one walking towards me wasn't Derek. It was Jasper.He extended his hand towards me, asking, "I saw you on my way by. What happened? You sprained your ankle?"I waved my hand to politely refuse his kindness and got up on my own.Smiling helplessly, I said, "I was lost in thought. I didn't even realize I stopped here.""The Dawn Vanguard Pack is around. If you want to, you may go check on Tucker. He misses you so much."Of course I wouldn'tsay no to such an offer. So I nodded and followed Jasper into his car.It was very warm inside, in stark contrast to the outside. Jasper handed me a hot latte."I went out to get coffee from this place. It's nice. Give it a go."I nodded and took the latte. "Thanks.""You're thanking me? For real? Come on, Tabitha," he smiled and turned the steering wheel with one hand.I felt a bit strange. All of a sudden, a voice in my head rang out, telling me the latte was meant for me to
Derek's POVI knew why Holly made a scene at my company. It was all for Daphne.I didn't fire Tabitha because I wasn't afraid of Holly. I just didn't want Tabitha to become a thorn in the side of the Amber's Eye Pack, or she might be in danger.It was also my way of punishing her.After all, she had been trying to draw a line between us.A few months ago, all I wanted was to get rid of her. Yet now that she had actually stopped bothering me, I ended up the one having trouble letting go.Whenever her distant expression emerged in my mind, I felt inexplicably restless.Tugging at my tie, I said to Rolf, "Go to Mark's place."Daphne was over the moon when seeing me. She even prepared a large table of food.Meanwhile, though Holly still pulled a long face, she kept pouring me drinks.I was polite but distant, focused on dandling Kyrian.Yet no matter how I tried, Kyrian barely laughed. Most of the time, he'd just stare out of the wi
Derek's POVTabitha reached out and pulled my fingers away from her wrist one by one. "Remember? You said I'd be the only love of your life. And you failed to keep your promise.""I..."She pulled my last finger away.Then she turned around, leaving me nothing but her back. "Derek, don't come to me again. Whether I'm alive or not has nothing to do with you anymore."After saying that, she ran off into the distance.The cherry blossom petals were so many that it was like rain, engulfing her body bit by bit.I wanted to go after her, but all of a sudden, I realized that I wasn't even qualified to do so.So what if I caught up with her? What could I say?Or maybe the more pressing question was, what could I change? The end was already written.I covered my chest. Inside, my heart was beating violently. Weird. Why was I still this uneasy?Tabitha's POVI ran into the elevator, pressed the floor button, and gasped for breath.
Tabitha's POVInside the gift box was a phone watch in the shape of a bear.I didn't need it now.More than a decade ago, I asked Holly to buy me the most popular phone watch in the shape of a bear if I topped the final exam.The day my results came out, however, I saw her leaving with that man.It had been years. I didn't know exactly how I felt when I saw the late gift.I charged it up and wore it on my wrist.That night, I fell asleep while stroking the watch, happy as a kid who had finally received the candy she had been yearning for.It was dawn, and a new day began.I had to go to the hospital early in the morning for various checkups.It was sunny today. I looked out and silently cheered myself on.I'd be fine. Definitely.I packed my things and was just about to go out when I saw a familiar number flashing on my phone screen.It was Albert. Seeing that, I paused.During this time, I had thought about invit
Tabitha's POV"Sure. I'm about to be at the entranceto your neighborhood shortly, in fact. Just a minute away," Jasper said."I'll go downstairs now," I said.After checking the surveillance to make sure it was safe outside, I went out with my things and quickly got into the elevator.There were people all the way from the elevator to the entrance of the neighborhood. I didn't think anyone would be that bold to make a move.As the elevator descended, I became more and more nervous.The eighth floor, the seventh floor, and the sixth floor...I clutched my phone tightly. Jasper texted me, telling me that he was waiting for me at the entrance.He even sent me a smiley face, saying that I could take my time. There was no need to rush.The cute emoji made me less nervous. I smiled, feeling better.However, when I looked up, I realized that the elevator didn't stop on the first floor. It was still descending.I felt utterly uneasy aga
Tabitha's POVI was right all along. Dad was kindness personified. He would never commit such an appalling crime.As such a thought hit me, I burst into tears.'Dad's been nice to everyone. He doesn't deserve this!'"Elena was Derek's childhood sweetheart. If he finds out about it, you're dead meat!"Albert sneered disdainfully, "Use your brain. Why would you end up here if he found out about it?"He was right.Elena had always been Derek's taboo. Bringing her up was just like tearing his old wound open. So he surely wouldn't want to look into her death again."Why? Why did you do this?" I sobbed, lowering my head helplessly."You have only yourself to blame."Me? What did I do?"Your very existence is wrong."With that, Albert lifted me up, put me on his shoulder as if I were a sack, and started walking.Having been locked up for quite some time, I felt sick already.Being lifted all of a sudden made it even worse. My stomach churned.The sound of the sea breeze died down. I guessed
Rolf was so focused on escaping that he barely had time to marvel at the spectacle unfolding before him."If this isn't a nightmare, I don't know what is", he thought, sprinting for his life.He knew if he fell, he'd be bitten to death by the venomous snakes.Never in his life had Rolf run so fast. He sprinted in the direction of the sound, desperation lending him strength.Up ahead, perched in a peach tree like a guardian angel, sat Hedwig.Her tiny fingers danced over a bamboo flute, its melody ringing in the charged air.To Rolf and Misha, however, the "ding-dong" notes felt like a death knell tolling ever closer.Snakes swarmed from all directions like a rising tide. Rolf knew if this kept up, they'd both end up as snake fodder.Panic clawed at his throat. Without a word to Misha, he unceremoniously dumped her onto the ground.Misha was still disoriented when she was roughly thrown to the ground. Before she could rea
"Agreed," Alvin replied. The memory of Hedwig's earlier glare at Misha sent a shiver down his spine.He had a foreboding that Misha might already be in Hedwig's crosshairs.Given that this was Hedwig's home turf, Alvin worried their group might not stand a chance in a confrontation.This added a layer of anxiety to an already tense situation.Meanwhile, Tabitha remained fast asleep, a serene smile playing on her lips.After a short play with the fawn, a pigeon flew in from outside the cave and landed on Hedwig's shoulder, cooing softly. Hedwig paused at the sound, glancing at Tabitha still lost in slumber.With a moment of hesitation, she quietly rose and tiptoed away, not wanting to disturb Tabitha's rest.Misha, who had always sailed through life with ease, had encountered her greatest challenge in the form of unrequited love.Ever since Derek had rescued her, she had vowed to marry him when she grew up.Throughout her
Hedwig nodded understandingly, her face lighting up with innocent joy.She carefully lowered herself onto the lawn and gently pressed a sweet kiss to Tabitha's cheek, her movements as delicate as a butterfly's wings.Her movements were incredibly gentle, for fear of disturbing Tabitha.Then, she sat quietly by the pool, watching butterflies dance around them—a scene so serene it could have been plucked from a masterpiece painting.Tabitha's exhaustion overwhelmed her, her eyelids growing heavier by the second until she drifted into a deep sleep by the pool's edge.Her long, silk-like hair cascaded down, and without her mask, her porcelain skin glowed.Compared to before, she seemed even more beautiful now, like a sleeping fairy, radiating an enchanting charm.Hedwig stayed by her side without disturbing Tabitha, quietly gathering herbs nearby with focused and skillful movements.The forest creatures adored her—a faw
Misha watched Tabitha and Alma walk away, her anger flaring up again.She glared at the back of Tabitha's head and instinctively touched her red cheek.Growing up, she had never been treated like this. The humiliation filled her heart with resentment."Once Derek's poison is neutralized, I'll make them pay", she vowed silently.Alban, seeing the hatred in Misha's eyes, felt a chill.He knew Misha's background—her family's influence was no secret. He'd brought her here out of concern for Derek's blood type.Having watched Misha and Derek grow up, he was well aware of their temperaments.Given Misha's current state, he feared she would cause more trouble.So, he tried to persuade her again, "Look, things are under control here. It's not proper for a young lady like you to stay. I'll have someone escort you out.""I'm not leaving, Dr. Weaver. I'm staying to take care of Derek!" Misha said stubbornly, turning her head
Misha's eyes welled up the moment she saw Derek awake. She lunged toward him, crying, "I've been so worried!"Derek sidestepped her embrace instinctively and said coolly, "I'm fine. I've delayed you long enough. I need to stay for treatment; you should head back."Misha's jaw dropped in shock.Misha had traveled so far and gone through so much, only to hear Derek tell her to leave as soon as he woke up."I need to care for you—your eyesight's impaired. I've already taken leave," she pleaded."You'll be fine. Rolf and Alvin are here. It's not convenient for you, a young woman, to stay," Derek insisted.Misha stamped her foot in frustration. "What's inconvenient about it? You're not married, and neither am I. Remember when we were on missions together? We took care of each other then, didn't we?"Alma happened to pass by and overhear the conversation, finally realizing that Misha had been the one making advances all along.
Derek jolted awake after an hour of sleep.In a daze, sensing someone beside him, he instinctively pulled them into his arms, exclaiming, "Tabitha, you came for me."Alvin sighed, "Alpha Derek, it's me."Derek fumbled blindly in the air, urgency lacing his voice, "Where's Tabitha? Where did she go?""You were dreaming again," Alvin explained patiently."A dream?" Derek frowned, confusion washing over him.But why did the dream feel so real? So real that he could almost feel the give of Tabitha's skin, recall the touch of her body, and even remember the warmth of her flesh. Her voice still seemed to linger in his ears."Tabitha's probably miles away. She couldn't be here," Alvin added.Derek's heart sank, the joy from moments ago replaced by emptiness. It felt as though he'd found his most precious treasure, only to realize it was just a dream.He bowed his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Right, how could I rea
At Derek's words, Tabitha was suddenly reminded of his words from years ago, when he had said the person in his dreams was her.She couldn't help but wonder what exactly this scoundrel had done to her in his dreams."Tabitha, hold me," Derek pleaded like a petulant child.Tabitha recalled the early days of their marriage. Back then, Derek was reticent and self-absorbed in bed, rarely showing any emotion or expressing his feelings.She often doubted whether he even liked her, if not for the fact that his actions left her bedridden the next day.Derek had locked all his emotions in an airtight box, allowing no one to peek inside.But over the years, their dynamics had done a complete turnaround.Now, Tabitha buried her feelings deep within, becoming cold and distant, while Derek had transformed into someone unrecognizably vulnerable and open.At this moment, Derek was like an overly affectionate, enthusiastic dog, intimately fami
Tabitha was deeply focused on listening to Derek's heartbeat. Irritated by his question, she simply hushed him with a "Shh" and said, "Don't talk." Her attention was entirely on his heart rate. She had no intention of being distracted by others.After finishing with his heartbeat, Tabitha gently pried open Derek's eyelids for a closer look.His pupils were dull and lifeless, making it impossible to assess the internal damage with the naked eye.It seemed that only after administering the antidote and conducting a professional examination outside could they determine the extent of the eye damage.Tabitha silently resolved that if they could just detoxify him, there would be hope for the gradual recovery of his other organs.At Tabitha's "Shh," Derek obediently fell silent.Despite feeling as though he were in a dream, he cherished this fleeting moment, thinking that even an extra minute with Tabitha would give him more memories to hold onto i
Derek clung to Tabitha like a koala to a tree trunk, refusing to let go.His voice was urgent and filled with longing as he declared, "Tabitha, you have no idea how long I've been searching for you! Every day, every night, your image haunted my thoughts. I was such a fool. If I had known you would vanish completely, I never would have let you go."Tabitha's heart skipped a beat at his words.Recalling her departure, she realized how strange it had been—how smoothly she had left.Back then, Tabitha had barely left when someone came chasing after her. Had Derek known of her plan from the start?If he had wanted to stop her, he could have nipped her plan in the bud."Why did you let me go, then?" she asked.Derek, lost in the joy of their reunion, poured out his feelings unreservedly. "I've always felt guilty for the wrongs I did you. I wanted to make amends."Tabitha gazed into Derek's eyes, noticing the red marks on his face.Despite his usual handsomeness, these marks added an air of