Third person's POVThey shared a laugh, and for a moment, it seemed as if time had reversed, bringing them back to the carefree and beautiful days of the past.However, deep down, they both knew that the past was gone and could never be returned to.Tabitha frowned, puzzled. "You always liked iced coffee, right? Why are you drinking hot tea now?"Gloria scratched her head, a bit embarrassed."Well, I was a bit too indulgent in my early years, always drinking iced coffee even in the dead of winter. The pain during my periods was unbearable. Now that I'm older, I've come to understand the importance of health. Look, I carry a thermos with me whenever I go out.""You should have done that long ago. I told you not to drink so much. As they say, people can't teach people. Experience teaches them in one go," Tabitha shook her head helplessly, speaking with a heavy heart.Gloria subconsciously touched her lower ab
Third person's POVTabitha closed the car door and through the rearview mirror, she saw Gloria standing quietly by the roadside, her gaze following the car with a complex array of emotions—reluctance, helplessness, and something else that Tabitha couldn't quite put her finger on.Seeing Gloria like that caused a pang of pain in Tabitha's heart.She suddenly understood the look of heartache and helplessness that Gloria had given her when she was going through her own emotional turmoil.'The world of adults is like that. When misfortune strikes, they often have to keep it hidden inside, unable to express their emotions as freely as children, who can cry or laugh at will.''As an onlooker, even if one's heart aches, there's nothing that can be done but to watch, which is both helpless and heart-wrenching.'It wasn't until the car had driven so far away that Gloria was out of sight that Tabitha withdrew her gaze.
Third person's POVDeep within her heart, she knew that if it weren't for Wilmot's relentless efforts to gather the funds and ransom her from that terrifying predicament, she would have been ruined, cast into an endless abyss of darkness from which she would never emerge."I failed to protect you, Ms. Hartley," Derek's voice was deep and hoarse, tinged with self-reproach.He had been standing there for some time, a thick layer of snow accumulating on his shoulders and hair, making him appear somewhat weary and forlorn.Tabitha walked slowly towards him, each step light and deliberate.Derek watched her approaching figure with an inexplicable sense of unease.His heart was in turmoil, wrestling with uncertainty over whether Tabitha had guessed his true identity and how she might react if she knew everything.Would she be angry and accusatory, or would she leave resolutely, or do something else he c
Third person's POVTabitha returned to her room and saw that Ayla had already fallen asleep. She picked up a warm towel and gently wiped Ayla's face and hands, her eyes filled with affection and tenderness.As she turned to leave, she glanced out the window and saw a figure standing under the streetlight—it was Wilmot.He stood there motionless, like a statue, gazing directly in her direction with a look of desolation and deep affection in his eyes.Tabitha's heart stirred slightly, and she thought to herself, why was he putting himself through this?Lovesickness had always been the most tormenting, the relentless pursuit of something unattainable only leading to heartache and exhaustion.Tabitha only took a quiet look before closing the curtains.She reminded herself that since she couldn't respond to him, she shouldn't leave any hope, not allowing him to fall deeper into this unrequited affection.
Third person's POV"Yes, Aiden is Aiden Greenwood, and I'm Noah Greenwood. Tabitha, don't you think it sounds great?"Noah's eyes sparkled with anticipation. He seemed to care deeply about Tabitha's opinion on the names.A ripple stirred in Tabitha's heart. She nodded and said, "Yes, it sounds nice. How have you been these years?""Great. Alpha Derek knew I liked to draw, so he specially hired a famous teacher to guide me and arranged this school for me. Now I've caught up with the normal students' progress and even got a guaranteed admission spot with a full scholarship."Noah's face was beaming with pride and gratitude, his eyes filled with dreams for the future.Tabitha raised her hand, intending to pat the teenager's hair as she used to, but found she needed to lift her hand a bit to reach. She smiled and said, "I always knew you were amazing. How about Aiden? How is he?""He never had an interest in wr
Third person's POV"Alpha Derek has put in a lot of effort. Now, the people on the island can continue their traditional way of life, fishing if they wish. If not, Alpha Derek has also provided a variety of job opportunities, and everyone feels life has become much better than before," Noah said as he walked with Tabitha, introducing the changes on the island.As soon as Tabitha set foot on the island, several women warmly surrounded her, asking about her well-being and offering Ayla candies, expressing their gratitude to Tabitha.They said that without her, they wouldn't have been able to enjoy the good life they had now.The small bungalow where Tabitha used to live, which was originally the largest building on the island, had been renovated to look like a charming guesthouse.An infinity pool had even been built on the rooftop, offering a breathtaking view of the ocean that was captivating."Aiden and I always
Third person's POV"Julia, I need your help," Tabitha said, her eyes filled with sincerity and anticipation."It's my pleasure. Our little island owes its good life to you. Anything I can do, I'm at your service, no matter what," Julia stopped what she was doing, turned to Tabitha, and looked at her with determination.Her heart was full of gratitude towards Tabitha and she was willing to do anything for her.Tabitha instructed Julia, and then settled down on the island with Ayla.She chose to stay here, firstly, because it was safer, and she could avoid exposure for the time being.She was hiding from an enemy who wanted to kill her as much as Derek did.Secondly, the facilities on the island were now quite complete, and living here was not a problem at all.Every day, Noah would accompany Ayla to play around, and Ayla also loved this beautiful and fun-filled island.Tabitha often s
Third person's POVAt this moment, Gloria finally understood the difficult situation Tabitha had faced before—the helplessness and confusion, as if she were trapped in a dark abyss, unable to find even a glimmer of hope.What puzzled her was that Alpha Leopold must have known about Tabitha's return to the States. Given his relationship with Derek, he couldn't possibly not inform him.If Derek had learned that Tabitha was alive, it should have been a momentous occasion for him. How could he allow Tabitha to drift alone outside?Could it be that he had truly come to terms with it and decided to let go completely?However, Gloria preferred to believe in the saying, "A leopard can't change its spots."She felt that even if Derek seemed inactive now, it was highly likely that he was secretly plotting a larger scheme, merely the calm before the storm.After hanging up the phone, Tabitha's eyes flashed with
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