Tabitha's POVThe incident was extremely intense, and the police arrived at the scene quickly.By then, the crowd had grown tense and anxious, and many of the onlookers who had unwittingly become part of the disturbance were visibly terrified as they were escorted away by officers.I needed urgent medical attention, so I couldn't provide my statement to the authorities right away.Thankfully, the wound was minor, and with prompt first aid, a serious situation was averted.
Derek's POVI took the shaken Tabitha back home.Standing in the living room, Tabitha paused for a moment before suddenly speaking up, "Derek, today I encountered..."I was busy. My attention was diverted by the constant ringing of my phone, which had been persistent throughout the drive. Just as she began to explain, another call came through, cutting her off mid-sentence."Okay, I'll come over right away," I said after finishing the call and looked at Tabitha. "Tabitha, wh
Derek's POVSally slowly rose from her seat, and only then did I realize that beneath her long wool coat, her legs from the knees down were entirely mechanical."Your legs..." I was taken aback.Sally, her lips painted a bright red, smiled and said, "Surprised? You should have known anything could happen when you left me."Her explanation did little to satisfy me, and I chose not to address it."Tell me, what do you want?" I asked coldly.
Sally's POVThough it was a long time ago, the pain still feels as raw as ever.I spent six months in the hospital, during which Derek vanished completely from my life.Even when I threatened to drop out of school, Derek merely responded with "Do as you wish", followed by him blocking me.I wept day and night and vengefully married Baldwin Blair, who was twenty years older than me.After I los
Derek's POVSitting in the car, I closed my eyes to rest. Sensing the heavy silence, Spike asked, "Alpha Derek, did you have a falling out?""It's not so much a falling out as it is unfinished business," I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "That woman is completely out of her mind. Even after all these years, she's only gotten worse. If I'd known how things would turn out, I wouldn't have been so soft-hearted and helped her back then."Ten years ago, I happened to pass through a mountain village and saw Sally in distress.
Derek's POVI sat in the main seat without saying a word.Usually, just one look from me could make people tremble with fear, but today everyone was accusing me relentlessly as if they had been as bold as leopards."Derek, I have always recognized your abilities. When Alpha Elliott handed over the company to you, we all agreed wholeheartedly. You didn't disappoint us and managed the company very well. But this time, you made such a big mistake. In just one day, the group's hard-earned business empire and good reputation were destroyed, except for the stock price. As a leader, you have to give us an explanation."
Derek's POVMy fingers tapped absently on the table as if their rhythm held some hidden significance.I thought, 'Look, they're finally showing their true colors.'As soon as Barclay said that, the gaze of everyone in the conference room instantly focused on him.Some people showed a look of sudden realization, while others had faces full of anger and doubt.And I, who was at the center of thi
Derek's POVDuring the short break, I was extremely busy. Alvin and Rolf were not around, so I had to handle many things myself.Spike was temporarily brought over by me. Considering the shareholder vote in half an hour, he wasn't afraid."I really feel it's not worth it, Alpha Derek. You have been wholeheartedly devoted to the company for these years so that the Greenwood Group is able to develop so well. These people are actually repaying kindness with enmity," Spike said angrily.
"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
Third person's POVThis was why Tabitha had chosen Alvin over Rolf.She adjusted her waterlogged mask, now nearly peeling off, and swiftly exited the scene.Rolf muttered behind her, "Alpha Derek, don't go around hugging people. What if she gets clingy? Tabitha's still out there—what if she sees this and makes you wait another decade?"Derek remained silent."But seriously," Rolf continued, "the doctor's build and height are identical to Tabitha's. Just the face is different."Derek seized on this. "What did you say?""I said she looks like Tabitha, except for the face. Alpha Derek, don't get carried away—it's not like Tabitha to pop up just because you're poisoned. You've looked for her for three and a half years with no luck."Derek rubbed his temples, chalking it up to longing-induced hallucinations.Tabitha retreated to her room, exhausted from the sleepless night of brewing and changing medicines.