Third person's POVAlvin took out his phone, "This is the footage captured by the spider camera today."In the image, Tabitha was quietly sitting in the courtyard reading a book.Despite the camera being only as big as a spider, the quality of the footage was incredibly clear.Derek slowly raised his hand as if touching Tabitha's cheek, feeling in his heart that letting go was indeed the right choice. Tabitha's condition was indeed much better than before.
Third person's POVDerek responded along with his thoughts, "I see.""Tabitha has left. What are your plans for the next step?" Orson asked.Derek was brilliant. He quickly understood why Orson's here. He was not here to fetch something was a pretense. He was here to test Derek's reaction on behalf of Tabitha.It must have been the deep psychological impact of the things Derek had done to Tabitha in the past that made her live in constant fear.
Third person's POVInside the Hartley family's villa.Klein finally escaped danger, and Dwayne breathed a sigh of relief."Klein, you're finally awake. You have no idea how worried I've been," Dwayne said.Klein, having just regained consciousness, was still pale, his body weak from the ordeal. Yet, he managed a comforting smile for his brother, a feeble attempt to ease the tension in the room. "How could I bear to leave you? Look at your hair, it's almost as wild as a lion
Third person's POVOn the seventh day after chemotherapy, Tabitha could slowly get out of bed. But her hair had fallen out completely after this round of treatment.Looking at herself in the mirror, her chin was sharp, but the top of her head was empty.Theodora, supporting her, quickly tried to smooth things over, "Tabitha, it's okay. Your hair will grow back once you stop the medication."Tabitha, however, laughed nonchalantly, "If I lose my life, what's the use of a beaut
Third person's POVThis was the first time Elena had spoken initiatively. Derek sat at the coffee bar, preparing to make pour-over coffee. "Go ahead," he said.Elena gazed at the pattern on the coffee bar and spoke slowly, "After I got lost, I was captured by a few rogues. They left me with a weak wolf pack in the forest, where I suffered a lot. Later, I managed to escape..."She didn't narrate the process of her suffering but glossed over it.Derek asked proactively, "How did you make it?"All the information he found was very general and lacked specific details.Elena still didn't describe it in detail, "It's simple. I had been planning for a long time, hiding matches to ignite their stored firewood. They were very poor, so it couldn't withstand a fire for long, but..."She paused and continued, "Before setting it alight, I trapped that family in the room and burned them to death. It took me over a month to walk out of that forest.
Third person's POVElena's face revealed a paranoid and morbid smile despite being slapped."I am a madwoman. Why should I bear all the suffering in this world alone? Since I am already in hell, I will drag more people down with me. Alpha Derek, if you blame anyone, blame yourself for loving her!"As if remembering something, she added, "It doesn't matter that you hit me. But don't forget, I am the one behind it, but you are the executor. It's your own disbelief in her, your indifference, your neglect, and your bullying that have hurt her the most. I am not the one who wounded her deeply."Derek's raised hand stopped at this moment.He knew Elena was right. He was the real culprit and had no right to resent anyone else.He slumped down and lit a cigarette, staring into the void. "Now she's gone, and I've lost everything. Are you satisfied?"Elena's gaze fell on Derek's gaunt and haggard face. She didn't speak, and no one knew what she
Third person's POVTabitha had undergone six rounds of chemotherapy, one every twenty-one days. By the time they were over, half a year had passed.Each day of these six months had been akin to living in hell for her, with the side effects of chemotherapy permeating every organ.She was particularly sensitive to cold then. Her hands and feet were perpetually cold. Her legs were weakened, with an excruciating pain in her bones.Theodora looked at her with heartache, "Tabitha, you've made it through. You've completed all six chemotherapies. You're stronger than most people."Tabitha lay in bed, weak and dizzy.She spoke weakly, "Dora, help me outside to see the sunlight. I feel like I've been lying down for ages.""Sure."Theodora wheeled her out in a wheelchair. It was now winter here.The temperature was generally much warmer than in Seattle. Even during the coldest season, the city did not see snow.The winter su
Third person's POVEvery day and every second of being sick was a torment, and Tabitha still had to wait another month.Tabitha sighed, hoping to get in touch with Lucian soon, even if it was just to see photos of her children.However, due to Lucian's special status, she didn't dare use her old number, so she couldn't contact him at all.Derek had been waiting for a long time and finally received another video update of Tabitha.She hadn't left the courtyard for several days, indicating that her condition was indeed very weak. Even today, when she came out, she could only sit in a wheelchair.Derek's fingers touched the screen. She seemed to have lost more weight than last time. She had no flesh on her face, with a sharp chin. A pair of eyes were alarmingly large on her face."Is this the sixth time?" Derek asked."Yes, after this chemotherapy, it's all over. All that's left is to rest and recuperate.""Tabitha's won't
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