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Id	Vlad	Saved	Scrape Time	Status	Scrape Result	Title	Body	Cta Type	Link Url	Page Name	Page Profile Uri	Page Like Count	Enddate	Cta Text	Caption	Display Format	Link Description	Link Url	Creation Time	Page Profile Picture Url	Page Entity Type	Page Is Profile Page	Current Page Name	Startdate	Actions
2,630,891	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2630885}'	No	2024-12-10 19:42	active	1988	Get Married at Fifty👉👉👉	There's no need for more searching. This is the series you've been wanting to watch. Don't miss it, or you'll regret it!😍	WATCH_MORE		Romantic Love	https://www.facebook.com/61557838064349/	344	1969-12-31 18:00	Watch More		DCO			1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462803539_538588932202249_1294801166581320080_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=LPm-F-O77C8Q7kNvgF1nLJz&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AeyxiItuZU4X6MAED7J0vUA&oh=00_AYB3HK6i56ZKHdKktox222U7Kc1RIyfuZtLKpF8Y-R1biw&oe=675EAC3C	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Romantic Love	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,631,312	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"is_bh_simple_request":false,"simple_request_ratio":1,"is_bh_selenium":false,"selenium_ratio":1,"ratio_threshold":0.8}'	Yes	2024-12-10 19:42	active	1988	🔥🔥Click to read the next chapter for free👉		LEARN_MORE	https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13853&u	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	321	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	shgjfh.com	CAROUSEL		https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13853&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.i}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/465128361_536950392535131_6081636378861920796_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=yQowwqkAHPUQ7kNvgHdf_3e&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A7k2AAh3BfzktI-Td9uKmuz&oh=00_AYD-qEcxwvk41nh0-07fx8VkFmWLNHt3D6AMG0sT78nKvQ&oe=675EBC9A	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,631,375	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2631312}'	No	2024-12-10 19:42	active	1988	🔥🔥Click to read the next chapter for free👉		LEARN_MORE	https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13853&u	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	321	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	shgjfh.com	CAROUSEL		https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13853&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.i}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/465011048_1395202901438349_3292065480721043676_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=qwKrCM9lwLoQ7kNvgFZO0bn&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A7k2AAh3BfzktI-Td9uKmuz&oh=00_AYAAXi9bWUjR9DnSZ_uBBru8qFvcbZPMgmSM1jNYWrBvug&oe=675EAFD4	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,636,780	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2634222}'	No	2024-12-10 20:44	active	1989		Donating to Goodwill builds brighter futures by … 1. Decluttering the gently used items you no longer need in your home 2. Keeping reusable and recyclable materials out of the landfill 3. Funding local services and programs that help job seekers overcome barriers to employment Learn more at www.lincolngoodwill.org	NO_BUTTON		Lincoln Goodwill	https://www.facebook.com/LincolnGoodwill/	5,771	1969-12-31 18:00	No button		IMAGE			1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469866398_8589951437770556_1533480523391093019_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=kVGYH4ecT7YQ7kNvgH1MlMV&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A_r4X3y1zfY_V3Wlnnkr1X8&oh=00_AYDtpcRe1WnY7t1zW-Hr9teZUW57p2NiUF3nDhuZdDHIgg&oe=675EC6D5	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Lincoln Goodwill	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,631,616	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2631886}'	No	2024-12-10 19:42	active	1988	Free 37-pt Inspection (Value of $300): Roof Repairs	Did you know you might already be covered for your next roof repair? 👋 Hi, I'm Domi, founder of ‘Mingo Roofing & Construction,' the roofers that handle it all; from repairs and installations to insurance claims, city permits and coverage inquires! As a locally owned business, we work hard to provide you with the best services we can. That's why we… 📋 Offer FREE 37 Point Inspection With Your Repairs 🚨 Give FREE Quotes ✅ Offer Monthly Payment Plans 💸 Offer Prices as Low as $49 for Repairs! 📝 So get in touch and find out if you're already covered! Just call, text or fill out our form! 📍Proudly Servicing Nashville, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Hendersonville, Madison & Surrounding Areas!	GET_QUOTE	http://fb.me/	VooltPro Certified Provider	https://www.facebook.com/vooltprocertifiedproviders/	22	1969-12-31 18:00	Get quote	fb.me	VIDEO		http://fb.me/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469065404_590283243370942_6113368620635991417_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=gqT6fl2rH1UQ7kNvgHxJC-G&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=ApO8QKsYuz6fUxiL5IZW4Jm&oh=00_AYD1BjAkAWU3Zkbgiv7UH59C3cS8LrBzBuRAZnt9KXjopA&oe=675EAE08	PERSON_PROFILE	0	VooltPro Certified Provider	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,634,309	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2635046}'	No	2024-12-10 20:42	active	1989	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	February in Sureton City was wet. It had been drizzling throughout the day, leaving the roads damp. The cold wind brought with it the rain, making Freya Somner shiver. She held an umbrella and curled up while crouching before the entrance to the city hall. It was already 5:00 pm. Would that person come? She was worried as she thought about her grandfather, Neil Somner, who lay sick in bed. Had he finished his IV drip? Would he need to use the restroom? Had Thomas Talbot already gone home? She looked up and scanned the empty streets. The city hall would close for the day at 5:30 pm. She would just grit her teeth and wait for another half an hour, then. If that person didn't show up, she could blame him and tell Neil and Thomas that he'd stood her up. It wasn't because she didn't want to marry him or anything. Neil was sick. As a traditional medicine practitioner, he knew his time was running out. Freya was his only concern—she would be alone in the world once he passed. He'd contacted Thomas, whom he'd saved many years ago. Thomas had promised Neil that he would do everything in his power to help if Neil ever needed it. All Neil had to do was make the call. Years had passed since then, but the call had miraculously gone through. Thomas had shown up the very next day. Neil had explained the situation to him and asked Thomas to help care for Freya in the future. Thomas had generously said, "It's only natural for me to care for her. How about this—I have many grandsons, so I'll have one of them marry Fae as a way of repaying you. That way, she won't be alone." Neil had agreed, leaving Freya with no room to object. She didn't want to marry—she could take care of herself and was fine alone. She was currently staying at the dormitory her university had prepared for graduate students. She even had 2,300 a month as financial aid. Eating at the hospital's and university's cafeterias was cheap—she only needed to spend 15 a day on food. However, Neil had insisted. He felt that it was hard to predict the future, and he would only be able to rest in peace once he saw that marriage certificate. That way, he'd be able to face Freya's parents in the afterlife with no regrets. Freya's parents had died after falling off a cliff. They'd been searching for a herbal catalyst to save Thomas back in the day. It had rained that day, just as it had on this day. Freya had seen her parents' corpses entwined with one another, their hands still clutching the herbal catalyst. After her parents passed away, she and Neil depended on each other for survival. It was on that day that she'd suddenly grown up. She'd studied hard and skipped grades, sitting for her SATs at 17 years old. Then, she'd gotten into Sureton University's medical faculty, joining the seven-year integrated bachelor's and master's program. She only had two years to go before she could graduate and officially start working. Things were starting to look good. Then, Neil had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. It was taking his life away. The screeching of brakes pulled Freya out of her reverie. She looked up at the offroad vehicle before her. It was painted a military green and covered in mud, and the tires were soiled. It was clear the car had ventured through the mountains. The door opened, blocking the man's face from her view. Still, she'd gotten a glimpse of his chiseled features. His bushy brows, tall nose, and deep-set eyes formed a handsome, honest face. With the door open, all Freya could see was the army pants enveloping his long legs and the leather boots he wore. It was a cold day, yet he only wore an olive green T-shirt. He stepped away from the car. Before Freya could take a closer look at his face, he approached her, stopping before her so his boots were level with her eyes. "Are you Freya Somner?" he asked, his voice deep and somewhat daunting. "Yeah." "Let's get married, then." He turned and headed into the city hall. Chapter 2 Freya wanted to stand up, but she'd been crouching for so long that her legs had gone numb. "What's wrong?" the man asked. "My legs have gone numb." She was lifted off her feet as soon as the words were out of her mouth. An unfamiliar scent enveloped her, and she felt her face burn. The man placed her on the seat before the counter. "Get your identification." She kept her head lowered as she obediently placed the things on the counter. "Daniel Talbot," the staff said. "That's me," the man said. "Freya Somner." "Here," Freya said. She looked up at the staff. The staff looked at the identification she held, then at Freya. The latter's eyes were spirited but also carried a hint of naivety. Freya was only 22, but Daniel was already 28. He'd even carried her in. That made the staff suspect whether Freya had been forced into this. She asked, "Are you here to get married at your own will?" "Yes, I am," Freya said. "Alright, then. Fill up these forms, please." At 5:30 pm, Freya and Daniel walked out of the city hall. Freya looked down at her marriage certificate. She'd gone from being single to married once the staff stamped the certificate. She'd married a man she'd met for the first time without even dating him. The whole thing had only taken a matter of minutes. Daniel stopped and looked at her. "Where are you headed now?" She had kept her head down and hadn't been paying attention to the distance between them. She walked right into his chest. Pain spread through her, starting from her nose. Tears welled in Freya's eyes. How could his chest be as hard as a wall? She clamped a hand over her nose and looked at him tearily. "I'm going back to the hospital." He was so tall that her eyes were only level with his chest. It was incredibly muscular and looked just like the diagrams she'd seen in her medical texts. "Get in the car," he said. Freya struggled to open the door. She tugged it with all her strength, but it didn't budge. Daniel saw her from the driver's seat. He waved at her, gesturing for her to back up. Then, he opened the door from inside. "Which hospital are you going to?" he asked. "The county tumor hospital, the one at Percat Street. Thanks." Freya obediently settled in her seat. "Your seatbelt," he said. She put it on, and he started the car. She noticed that his hands and arms were tanned, with protruding veins. He oozed strength and power. Suddenly, Freya's stomach rumbled. The sound was magnified in the silent car. She instinctively held her stomach, her face turning beet red. What was wrong with her? Why did she keep embarrassing herself? Was there something about her that made her incompatible with Daniel? Her stomach continued to rumble for a while. Finally, the car stopped. Freya thought they'd arrived at the hospital and moved to open the door. Then, she looked out and said, "We're not at the hospital." Daniel had already gotten out of the car, though. He headed to a fruit store without looking back at her. Soon, he returned with a bag full of fruits. "I don't know what your grandfather likes, so I bought a little of everything." "He can't eat anything. Doctor's orders." Daniel looked at her, perhaps because she sounded too calm. Only then did Freya notice how deep-set his eyes were. There was a hint of dominance in them. "You have them, then." He placed the bag on her lap. "Have some to tide the hunger. I'm in a rush." Freya wondered whether he was showing his concern for her. A wave of warmth surged in her as she peeled a banana. It was sweet. … The nurse had just removed Neil's IV drip when Freya and Daniel arrived at the ward. Thomas took the marriage certificates from Daniel and Freya and held them before Neil. He said happily, "Look at this, Neil. They're official marriage certificates with the stamps and all. They're genuine!" Neil smiled and nodded weakly. "That's great. I won't have anything to worry about anymore." "Come closer so Neil can see you, Dan," Thomas said. Daniel stepped forward. "Hi, Grandpa." Neil's smile widened. "Hi…" He held Daniel's hand and said, "I'll leave Freya in your hands from now on. She's a softie but is stubborn on the inside. I hope you'll be more tolerant of her and take the time to explain your thoughts to her if you two ever get into an argument." Tears streamed down Freya's face when she heard this. Daniel said, "I will, Grandpa." "Don't worry, Neil. We won't mistreat Freya. Daniel has property and a car—I'll have him show Freya around his place right now. She can move in when she's free," Thomas said. Freya forgot about crying and stared at Thomas in shock when she heard that. Didn't she and Daniel only have to get married? Why did they even have to live together? "Go on, then. It's still light out, so you can see what the place is like," Neil said. Daniel and Freya headed to his place under Thomas' urging. Chapter 3 Daniel's apartment was in Sureton City's central commercial area. It was an expensive area with good infrastructure—the medical and education systems were well-established. The residential area was right next to Sureton City's largest park. Freya looked at the minimalist, almost stark apartment. The marble coffee table was covered in a layer of dust. "This is your home?" "Yeah." Daniel also saw the dust. "I don't usually stay here." That didn't make sense at all. Why would anyone not live in their own home? Freya couldn't understand it. "There's a card here that you can use to pay for the utilities." He opened a drawer in the TV cabinet to show her. "If anything needs fixing, you can speak to the management office. "I'll have someone clean up the place later. There are two rooms, so you can pick whichever one you want. Feel free to use the study as well…" Freya observed the place. It was well renovated but showed no signs of being lived in. There weren't even any plates or utensils around. "What am I to you?" she suddenly asked. "My wife." "But I feel like your mistress," she said boldly. She didn't know whether Daniel had a girlfriend or anything—perhaps he'd only married her due to Thomas' pressure. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made her wait a whole afternoon for him, only arriving right before the city hall closed for the day. "What are you getting at?" Daniel asked. "I'm fine with getting a divorce if you already have a partner—our grandfathers have seen the marriage certificates, anyway. I don't want to inadvertently end up as a homewrecker." She respected the elderly but wouldn't do anything immoral just to comply with Neil's and Thomas' wishes. Daniel understood now. "I'm single. I usually stay at the military camp in the mountains." Freya recalled his offroad vehicle and the mud on it. That, coupled with his outfit, made her realize just who he was. "I'm sorry for misunderstanding you." "It's fine. I'll take you back to the hospital now—you can move in here whenever it's convenient for you." "What about you?" she blurted. Then, she disdained herself for asking. What did his matters have to do with her? "I need to head back after this. There's an urgent mission I need to handle." That was the last thing Daniel said to her. … Shortly after Daniel left, Neil's condition took a turn for the worse, and a new semester started. Freya bustled back and forth between the university and the hospital daily. On days when Neil felt better, he could even hold Freya's hand and reminisce with her. Neither of them mentioned that rainy night, though. He kept telling her that life was long and that she had to live well independently. However, he also told her she couldn't expect to do everything herself. She had to give in occasionally. Daniel looked like a good man, and they had to communicate with each other. They had to understand each other… Neil said many things. Freya wanted to object to everything and tell him that none of that mattered. She wanted him to know that she only wanted to spend her life with him in a small town called Floriver Town. She wanted to read medical texts and pick herbs with him. However, as a doctor, she was rational enough to know there was no chance of them ever returning to that life. The reports and data she saw every day were enough to tell her that Neil's condition was deteriorating. She cried almost daily throughout that month but hid it well. Neil never noticed. One day, white clouds floated in the blue sky. Freya drew the curtains, allowing the sunlight to stream into the room. Neil was in good spirits. "The weather is so nice today, Fae. Maybe you should take me off my oxygen tube now." He sounded calm, but Freya faltered while clipping his nails. She acted like she hadn't heard him and moved on to the next finger. "I can't take it anymore, Fae. I'm on drug every day, but it still hurts so bad. I'm begging you, okay?" His plea made Freya's nose prickle. Tears rolled down her face and landed on the floor, fading within seconds. Neil was a proud and strong man who'd never begged anyone in his life. Now… It looked like she really had to let him go. She slowly shut her eyes, sounding choked up as she said, "Okay. I'll get a doctor after I'm done clipping your nails." "The weather is so nice today that I feel so much more relaxed," Neil said. He lifted a hand with difficulty to caress her head one last time. It reminded her of how he'd praised her whenever she could memorize the things she'd read in the medical texts. After Freya signed the necessary documents, the doctor removed Neil's oxygen tube. She stood by his bedside and held his hand until his body became devoid of warmth. Thomas helped her with Neil's funeral, after which he urged her to move into Daniel's apartment. Chapter 4 Two years passed in the blink of an eye. "There's no time to eat, Dr. Somner. We're being dispatched for a house call." Freya was in a hospital's emergency room. When she heard the nurse, Jade Winton, call her, she put a folder over her unfinished instant mac and cheese and left the doctor's lounge. "Where's Dr. Wood?" she asked while wearing a mask. She hurried to catch up with Jade. "He's accompanying Lena for a prenatal check. I've called him, and he's on his way." Jade grabbed a first-aid kit and an extra bag of gauze and bandages. She handed them to Freya. "What's the situation? Why do we need so many bandages and gauze?" "A luxury jewelry store was robbed. The store's staff called the police, but the robbers discovered them and took ten staff hostage. We're being dispatched to provide medical assistance," Jade said. She told Freya everything she knew, then added, "Don't be rash later. Leave everything to Dr. Wood." "Got it. Thanks, Jade." Freya's mentor, Jason Wood, arrived at the same time as Freya and Jade. He was a tall, skinny man whose hairline was receding. He'd come from a prenatal check with his wife, Lena Johnson, and had already changed into his uniform. It made him look particularly spirited. "What's the situation?" he asked as he got into the car. "A jewelry store's been robbed. The robbers are armed," Jade said. Silence descended upon the car. They didn't know what they were facing but had to go at it regardless. Medicine knew no borders, and all lives were equal in worth. They had to save lives as long as they were at risk. When Freya and the others arrived, the police had already secured the scene. A crowd consisting of spectators and staff from various media outlets gathered behind the police line, surrounding the place and making it hard for anyone to get through. Police cars and vehicles belonging to a SWAT team were parked outside the jewelry store. There were also three buses with the windows tinted black. Freya followed Jason out of the car. A man who looked like an administrator hurried over to them, looking anxious. "The robbers need a doctor in there to save their comrade. Which one of you two will go in?" Freya looked at the jewelry store. It had three floors and was a corner lot with an expansive view. A mall was behind it, which meant it probably had more than one exit. "I'll go," Jason said, dragging Freya out of her reverie. She gave him a disagreeable look. "No way. I'll go, Dr. Wood. You have parents and children to care for, and Lena's conceived with your second child. You can't go in there." "You can't, either. You're inexperienced." Jason's attitude was firm. "The situation is complicated. I'm the only one who can head in there." Freya didn't argue with him. She turned to the administrator and volunteered. "I'll go, sir. I've passed the medical board exam and can practice independently. I don't have any dependents or relatives to care for." He looked at her. She was young and so nervous that she clenched her fists, but her expression was calm. She was bold, but her courage needed some training. "You can go, then. We don't know the situation inside, so we can only act when the Falcon Strike Unit arrives. All you need to do when you get in there is to save whoever is injured. Drag things out for as long as possible while ensuring your safety and wait for help." "Understood, sir." Freya wore her medical cap and gave herself a mental pep talk. "Freya…" Jason started. "I have to gain experience since I don't have it, Dr. Wood. You have to give me a chance," she said. That was what medicine was like. One had to be bold and careful while constantly defeating one's old self. That way, one would only become a better version of oneself. Jason knew what Freya was like. She'd met various people when treating patients. When some of them criticized or insulted her, she wouldn't take it lying down. Her retorts left much to be desired, though. For instance, if a patient said she was incapable and that a doctor online had told them this and that, she would say, "I'll leave, then. You can ask your online doctor to treat you." Once, someone had shouted at her, saying she was useless. She'd clapped back, calling that person the useless one. "Do you guys have a bulletproof vest or something? Give one to her." Jason knew nothing he said would change Freya's mind. The administrator gave one of his subordinates a look. A member of the SWAT team brought a bulletproof vest over. Freya took her doctor's coat off and put the bulletproof vest on over her T-shirt. Then, she put her uniform on. Chapter 5 Jade handed Freya the first-aid kit before hanging the stethoscope from her neck. "You're just going to ignore everything I told you before we came here, aren't you? You're bound to get into trouble if you continue like this." "No one is more suitable than me, Jade," Freya said calmly. "It's not like the military region's general hospital lacks doctors. If you turn them down, they'll arrange for someone else to come." "But it's too far away. They'll take at least 30 minutes to arrive. That doesn't conform to the principles of pre-hospitalization emergency care." Jade was one of the emergency room's most experienced nurses, so she knew Freya was right. It was the only thing they could do under the circumstances. The administrator held a loudspeaker and shouted toward the store, "The doctor is coming. Open the door." A hoarse voice rang out as soon as the words were out of his mouth. "Put the first-aid kit on the ground and turn in a circle. Then, take everything out of the first-aid kit and lay them on the ground." Freya did as told. She'd just placed the final tool on the ground when the hoarse voice rang out again. "Put the things back in and come inside." Freya packed everything back. She was about to enter the store when she felt a cool breeze. Curious, she looked in the direction it had come. A helicopter was hovering in midair in one of the jewelry store's blind spots. A tall figure in camouflage slid down the rope and made a smooth landing. It happened in seconds. Freya stared at the man, finding his figure incredibly familiar. He wore a black mask, and his sharp eyes flitted past her. Then, he hid behind the wall. Another team member landed behind him. "Come in," the hoarse voice urged loudly. He sounded impatient. Freya knew she had to enter the store since these people had yet to infiltrate it. Once she understood that, she didn't hesitate to head inside. As soon as she pushed open the door, she smelled the metallic scent of blood. Suddenly, someone grabbed her by the neck and roughly dragged her inside. Then, he flung her onto the floor and commanded, "Save him." She looked at the man on the floor. His mask, shaped like a pig's head, had been thrown aside. He looked ashen while struggling to breathe and had cyanosis of the nail bed. These were all signs of a lack of oxygen. Freya checked him and concluded that he was having an asthma attack. His throat had swelled up, leading to breathing difficulties. She searched his bag while muttering, "Where's the inhaler?" Asthma patients would bring their inhalers when they were out, but she didn't find one in his bag. "What are you looking for?" a man in a mask shaped like a dog's head asked. "His inhaler," she said. "He doesn't have one. Do a cricothyrotomy on him right now." Freya was taken aback. "How are you related to him? You know how to save him?" Suddenly, he pressed a gun to her forehead. "Shut up if you don't want to die. Just do as I say!" The iciness of the metal made Freya's heart clench. Her mind went blank for a second, and she couldn't think. "Hurry up!" He kicked her shoulder. The pain made her snap to her senses. She forced herself to calm down and took a deep breath before commencing anatomical positioning and sterilization. Then, she inserted a thick injection needle into the cricothyroid membrane. The process didn't take long, and the man gradually started looking better. Suddenly, a black thing landed not far from Freya. Before she realized what it was, a few more followed. The inside of the store was quickly filled with smoke, and people started yelling. The alarm went off. Freya wanted to take advantage of the chaos to hide, but a hand wrapped around her neck. A gun was pressed to her forehead, and someone snarled, "You're coming with me." Chapter 6 The man dragged Freya to a secluded corner to hide. The cold feeling against her temple made her compliant. Her palms grew sweaty as she stood there, and she could hear her heart racing. No matter how nervous or scared she was, she could only place her faith in the Falcon Strike Unit and tightly hold the needle in her hand. A few minutes later, red lights flashed at them. The man dragged Freya out of their hiding spot. Before she could even see what was happening, she heard a muffled groan behind her. Then, there was a thump, and the robber's hand fell before her. She was still lost when a team of three surrounded her. A familiar voice said, "Take her out, Rabbit." "Roger, Falcon." This voice belonged to a woman. Rabbit, or Loren Smith, turned to Freya. "Come with me." Freya turned to look at the familiar man while following Loren out. He glanced at her while walking up the stairs, and his sharp eyes matched the ones in her memory. She asked Loren, "Is the person you called Falcon Daniel Talbot?" Loren faltered. Then, she continued walking out while observing their surroundings. She didn't respond to Freya's question, but Freya knew she was right. After leaving the jewelry store, the situation outside left no room for Freya to be pensive. She threw herself into work—the jewelry store's staff had more or less been injured. Jason was rescuing the most critically injured ones, so she had to handle those who were only bruised or scraped. The injured staff came and went as she stopped the bleeding, cleaned wounds, and bandaged them. "Freya." She looked up in the middle of stopping a patient's bleeding to see black leather boots before her. Then, she raised her head to find Daniel standing before her. She looked away and continued with her work. "Yes?" "Help me clean this up." He'd taken his mask off, his tanned face unreadable. It had been two years since they'd last seen each other. Now that they were reunited, Freya still couldn't help feeling a little scared of him. Based on what she remembered, he was a little domineering, and he spoke and acted brusquely. "I'm almost done here." She picked up the pace and recorded the time. Then, she called out to Jade, who was somewhere behind her, "I'm done with the last one, Jade. They can be sent to the hospital now." She turned back to Daniel. "Have a seat." She sterilized her hands and scanned him. There didn't seem to be any wounds on him, so she asked, "Where's your injury?" "The side of my abdomen." He lifted his shirt, revealing the bandage around his waist. Freya crouched before him, finding that the bandage had already been stained with blood. She removed it and looked at the stitches on the neat wound—it was a knife wound. He asked, "How have you been for the past two years?" "Not too bad." "I was on a mission abroad when your grandfather passed. I've only just returned." Freya faltered. Daniel was explaining why he had missed Neil's funeral. Her voice remained calm as she said, "I understand." They didn't speak anymore after that. Freya didn't ask about the wound, merely cleaning it and bandaging it again. She stood up and took off her gloves, throwing them into the medical waste bin. "You'll have to be careful with your wound for some time. It'll take longer for you to recover if you keep reopening it." "Thanks," he said. "You're welcome." Their conversation was polite and distant. "This is yours, right?" Daniel suddenly held out a sandalwood bracelet with an emerald pendant in the middle. Freya's face was carved on it—it didn't look much like her, though. It was a bracelet her father had made for her. "Yes, it is. Thanks." She reached out for it. Her fingers brushed against his palm as she took the bracelet from him, making her heart skip a beat. She immediately retracted her hand. "I'm leaving." Daniel stood up. He straightened his shirt and returned to his unit. Freya watched as the helicopter started up. The blades spun, lifting the aircraft into the air. Then, it flew away. "Let's go, Dr. Somner. We're taking a police car back," Jade called. Freya snapped to her senses. The helicopter was no longer in sight. All that was left was a vortex cloud left from its tail. She tightened her grip on the bracelet and packed everything up. Then, she ran to Jade with the first-aid kit and medical waste bag in hand. … After the incident, Jason requested that she be placed under counseling and given a month off. Freya returned to work after only three days at home, though. "Go home and rest," he said. "I need to do something with my hands, Dr. Wood." Jason pressed a hand to his forehead and threw her a pair of gloves. "Go to the debridement room and change the dressing for the patients there. You're not allowed to go on house calls or dispatches in the future." "Why?" Freya didn't get it.	LEARN_MORE	https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=15224&ut	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	321	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	beokn.com	DCO		https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=15224&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/465177296_583272707382050_3697801936779761977_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=GVOuyYpanhEQ7kNvgFE5y31&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A5AsuE4EtgDuHXJA8Yd8OBI&oh=00_AYBJQQLIs5lxhyERgF_zA8sjPAj2G_SMjDDp1umq1OzJrA&oe=675EA911	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,631,938	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2631931}'	Yes	2024-12-10 19:42	active	1988	Exposing the Spiritual Roots of Disease! Join us in Charlotte, NC for a FREE conference on February 7-8th, 2025	Are you struggling with disease or mental illness and looking for answers? Perhaps you have tried everything and nothing else has worked. God still heals today! At Be in Health, we have seen healings from cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, infertility, mental illness, learning disabilities, autoimmune disease, allergies, addictions, depression, anxiety disorders, traumas, rejection, hopelessness, and much more. We are coming to Charlotte, NC for a FREE conference on February 7-8 There is hope—you can find healing in your spirit, soul, and body through Christ Jesus.	LEARN_MORE	https://events.blackthorn.io/en/j029ldn7/g/T9WgD63	Be in Health™	https://www.facebook.com/beinhealth/	23,713	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	https://events.blackthorn.io/en/j029ldn7/g/T9WgD63...	IMAGE	Beautiful and powerful native Salesforce events platform.	https://events.blackthorn.io/en/j029ldn7/g/T9WgD63zk9/be-in-health-charlotte-nc-4a5PRoBzmX/overview	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/468434447_1236234930935840_74215518097703772_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=Pb-W9ddaMEYQ7kNvgGYAr15&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=A8dd5tkZKO5TxOXCct5xAtm&oh=00_AYD5FCYIvd5Ba5zposjDolPw9hEJM3JEtz6ggX_LBTrUXg&oe=675ECB69	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Be in Health™	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,635,071	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2635036}'	Yes	2024-12-10 20:42	active	1989	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	"You'd be willing to be my mistress?" I took a deep breath. "Yes." He'd got rid of me as his wife, to replace me with his sweetheart, but he still wanted to keep me as his mistress. The shame was almost too much to bear. The next day, my father told us that our debts had all been repaid. Suddenly, Joseph had become an angel in my mother's eyes. How he must love me to help us so much. All I could do was force a smile and bite my tongue. As far as my parents knew, I was still his wife. To them, I was on my way to spend a happy evening with my husband, not to be used as his toy. But what other choice did I have? I was well aware that I was giving up my dignity. Joseph's room was the very same bedroom we had shared while we were married. Yet now, it felt very different. I had no idea when Joseph would return. When I awoke, there seemed to be a great weight pressing down on me. As my senses gradually returned, I realized that Joseph was on top of me. What's more, his hands were moving underneath my clothes. "How ... How dare you!" Without thinking, I raised my hands to push him off. But before I knew it, he had grabbed hold of my wrists and forced them down. "Even now, your pampered temper's still intact." He jeered at me. I gazed around at the familiar room and then at the familiar man before me. It took me a while to fully remember where I was. This bedroom we were in was now his, and I was nothing more than his mistress. My arms went limp, I meekly let out a soft apology, "I'm sorry". He laughed, standing up and heading towards the bathroom. As he cleaned himself, I wrung my hands nervously. Before all this, once I had begun to have feelings for him, the thought of his touch had not been an unpleasant one. But this was different. There was nothing mutual or respectful about our current situation. This was simply possession and revenge. In such circumstances, the thought of what was to come was horrifying, but I had nowhere to run. After what seemed like an age, he finally emerged from the bathroom. The sound of the door opening once more was almost more than my frayed nerves could take.	LEARN_MORE	https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=15053&ut	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	321	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	beokn.com	DCO		https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=15053&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464446123_872410864981319_4606585567578669790_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=HHmZcwiR7yEQ7kNvgH449wV&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AFD6Ak-mu7Ekr2g2u7OYVgz&oh=00_AYCHVtQUvOwOCqPq8S0CNBps-jFHgEwiRrvbIp_u84vyCw&oe=675EC7D3	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,635,040	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2635036}'	Yes	2024-12-10 20:42	active	1989	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	For three days and three nights, Joseph gave me no respite. He had come to live with me as my husband, one I had little respect for. Not only would I never let him touch me, but I'd done everything in my power to belittle him. But now that my fortune had all but disappeared, and he was suddenly a rich man, it was like he was taking his revenge. He seemed to savor every last act we performed. ... My husband came to me with nothing. It wasn't even him I liked; it was his brother. But at a class reunion, I had too much to drink and he took advantage. Not only that, but everyone we knew found out. My father was disgraced. He felt the only thing to do to save our family honor was for me to marry this man. But he did have one condition, that the man who despoiled me would come and live with us in our family home. My new husband's parents were divorced. His father had all but abandoned him after remarrying and now he had nothing. As for me, my family was rich, and I was my parents' little princess. My husband could hardly have dreamed of a better match. So, just like that, we were married. No one even considered what I wanted. I wanted his brother. Naturally, I resented him and everything he'd done. I wouldn't let him near me. I made him sleep on the floor. I would mock him at mealtimes, along with my brother. We'd sneer at him and refuse him food. He'd still do things for me, like bring me umbrellas in the rain, but I'd make sure to insult him nonetheless. I couldn't feel easy letting him get away with what he'd done. Despite all this, he never seemed to mind. It was like he had no temper, no self-respect. Whatever me or my family said and did, he would always sit there meekly and take it. Objectively, he wasn't bad to look at. If he hadn't been so introverted and if his grades hadn't been so bad then he'd probably have got a lot more attention at school. His brother was a different story. Handsome, outgoing, with impeccable grades, he was what you might call a bit of a schoolyard celebrity. To think that our burgeoning romance was snuffed out so cruelly by my husband's actions was a source of great pain and anger. In the middle of the night, I got out of bed and kicked my husband awake, demanding a drink. He immediately pulled himself to his feet and dutifully got me a glass of water. As there was a slight autumn chill in the air, he even warmed it up for me. Such thoughtfulness might have charmed me, but all I could think of was how he'd used me the night of our class reunion. My anger flared and I threw the whole glass of water in his face. His only reaction was to go to the bathroom to dry himself off. Watching him quietly slink away, I almost felt a pang of guilt for my actions. That is, until I reminded myself once more of what he'd done and how my life would never be the same again. This was our life for the first three years of marriage. But a lot can happen in three years. For example, my family losing our fortune, or me starting to fall for my husband, or even... him deciding he wanted a divorce. When he handed me the divorce papers, he said it was because his childhood sweetheart had returned. I have to admit, at that moment, I was in shock. It was like a great weight was crushing my body and I could hardly breathe. But I had too much self-respect to let him see how he was hurting me. With as carefree an expression as I could muster, I took the pen from his hand and signed the papers. As soon as I had done so, he asked me, not unkindly, "Would you like my driver to take you home?" It took me a while to react. The villa I was in, the villa I had called home for over 20 years, was no longer mine. My family was broke. All of our possessions had been sold off. All this while he, the man who had forced me into marriage when he had nothing to his name, had secretly started his own company and built his own fortune behind my back. To add insult to injury, it was he who had bought our family home. Not that I could blame him completely. Or that I had any claim to his wealth. He had worked hard to get where he was, without a penny of help from me or my family, all while suffering in silence. He stared at me in silence, waiting for my response. He suddenly seemed so reasonable, while I was now ashamed of how I'd treated him. After all that I'd put him through, it would be only natural for him to use this reversal of fortunes to exact his revenge. But he wasn't doing so. If anything, he seemed just as meek and mild-mannered as before. "There's no need. I'll find my own way back." I replied. As soon as I'd finished speaking, I turned and hurried outside. His voice called after me, calmly, "What did you come to see me about?" "Nothing" I called back, without even turning my head. It was raining outside and I clutched the gift I was carrying tightly to keep it dry. Today was our third-year anniversary. I'd never done anything nice for him before, but since realizing I had developed feelings for him, I thought it might be nice to celebrate a nice occasion together. I'd never dreamed that what awaited me was a pile of divorce papers. I smiled a bitter smile as the rain soaked through my clothing and left me drenched. The next day, I woke up sniffling. I lay there in bed, feeling too weak to get up. Eventually, a commotion outside disturbed me from my malaise. I dragged myself feebly out of bed. When I made it outside, my father was sitting atop a crumbling wall, declaring to all that he wanted to terminate his life. We were now living in a dilapidated apartment block. Conditions in the building were poor, but the rent was cheap. My mother was crying and wailing, screaming at my father that if he jumped, she would follow suit. My head was pounding as I tried to talk my father down. I tried to tell him that money isn't everything, that as long as we have each other we'd be fine. My father looked at me, suddenly quiet. His eyes seemed to be burning into my soul. "Go ask Joseph for help. He's family. He wouldn't abandon us now." Having heard my father's words, my mother hastily added, "Of course! Maybe we haven't always seen eye to eye, but he's your husband. He's certain to help." I could almost have laughed. My parents still had no idea about our divorce. I tried to tell them he wouldn't help, but my father started becoming hysterical once more. He left me with no choice. I had to go crawling back to Joseph. To my "husband". Before I left, my mother insisted on spending the last of our money to get me a new outfit: a long dress with a deep-cut V-neck and a pair of pointy leather shoes. She also helped me do my make-up so I was dolled up to the nines. As I looked myself up and down in the mirror, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of revulsion. I didn't look at all like someone asking for help. I looked more like I was on a mission to seduce. But even if I turned up on his doorstep in my birthday suit, I doubt he'd give me more than a cursory glance. At that time, I couldn't understand why he'd slept with me at our class reunion. Could it be that he was just as drunk as I was? Had he mistaken me for his sweetheart? I quickly put those thoughts out of my mind. Even though I was doomed to fail, I would go to ask him for help. That way my parents could give up on the fantasy that he might save us. After making some inquiries, I discovered that he was at his company's offices. And so, that's where I went. I headed inside, while my parents, who had accompanied me this far, waited outside. The looks of pure, desperate hope on their faces were almost too much for me to bear, knowing how much this would disappoint them. When I arrived at his office, I was greeted by a sea of unfriendly faces. I could make out people talking about me as I passed. Nothing I heard was nice. I pretended not to notice. I straightened my shoulders and made straight for his personal office. But as soon as I saw him, I could feel my confidence fade. He was sitting on his chair, radiating poise, smiling broadly as he watched me approach... Chapter 2 I stood there wringing my fingers in shame as I explained why I had come. Joseph's gaze grew stern as he asked, "And why do you think I should help you?" It was clear that I had been right to think he would reject me. "Please, forget I even came." After everything we put him through, my family should be happy he wasn't seeking revenge. To come here asking him for help was nonsense. I'd swallowed my pride for my parents' sake, but obviously, we'd get no help from him. I was beginning to get angry at myself for even trying. I started to leave but he called me back. "Tell me. What do you have to offer in return? If I feel like it's worth it, then I'm sure we can make a deal." I froze in my tracks. My mind was whirring but I could think of nothing to offer him. Nothing except my body. But if he wanted that, we'd been married for three years. While we didn't share a bed, we at least shared a room. In three years, he'd never once made a move. I lowered my head, mumbling through my shame, "Just forget I came." Unexpectedly, he walked over and stood in front of me. He was a good head taller than me. He leaned over slightly and whispered against my ear. "You came here dressed like that. Why play coy now?" I felt my body stiffen and my shame burned even brighter. I wanted so desperately to turn and run. He put his hands around my waist and flashed me a knowing smile. "Three years of marriage. Every night, sleeping alone on the floor. You don't think I've dreamed of that body of yours? Why not offer me that?" My eyes grew wide. For a moment, I doubted my own ears. At last, I asked, "What are you saying?" He stared at me, his eyes as deep and impenetrable as a bottomless ocean. A sense of panic rose up inside me. Wordlessly, without looking away, he moved his fingers up and gently pulled down the straps of my dress. My cheeks flushed red and I pushed him away. I shouted, angrily, "If you won't help, just say so! I didn't expect you to anyway. There's no need to insult me like this!" Joseph looked at me, a hard-to-read expression crossing his face, like a mixture of anger and amusement. He said, "You think this is an insult?" "Is it not?" He clearly had feelings for someone else. To act this way towards me could be seen as nothing but insulting. He suddenly turned away and sat back down in his chair. When he raised his head to look at me once more, his gaze was cold. He sneered, "The way you're dressed, I thought you were serious, but it seems you haven't thought this through. If you're not here to make a deal, then I suggest you leave." I never expected him to help. Having had my prediction confirmed, I turned and left the office. As soon as I stepped outside the building, my parents were there to ask me how things went. "Will he help us?" My father asked urgently. All I could do was shake my head. My father's rage erupted. "The ungrateful swine. Now he's made his fortune he's forgotten his own family? If I'd have seen him for what he is, I'd never have let him marry you!" My mother joined in. "He always acted so civil, like a dutiful son-in-law. But now that he doesn't need us, he leaves us out in the cold!" I let out a helpless sigh. "There's no use cursing him now. Besides, he never took a penny from us, never made use of your connections. He's entitled to his business. "And it's not like we treated him much like a part of the family. Surely, you can see why he might not want to help us." My parents didn't respond, but it was clear from their expressions that they weren't impressed. Looking at them like this, my head, still heavy from whatever illness I'd caught the night before, began to hurt even worse. That evening, my brother took his phone and called each of his old friends, asking them for help. Back when we had money, they'd pick up the phone and come out drinking in a flash. Now that we were destitute, not a single one would answer. In his fury, my brother smashed the phone. I lay curled up in bed and tried to comfort him. "This is the world we live in. Friendship isn't what it used to be." My mother was sitting nearby, crying. The financial straits we were in meant it was unlikely we were ever going to recover. The best we could hope for was to somehow pay off our debts. My family's creditors were making daily appearances, demanding money. The calls were so frequent that it was impossible to focus our attention on anything else. My father was desperate. "Anna, why not try asking Joseph for a loan? He has money. At the very least, he should be able to lend us some." Then my mother chimed in. "Even if you divorced, wouldn't he have to give you some of his money?" I curled up tighter beneath the blankets. How was I supposed to tell them I hadn't got a single penny out of our divorce? My brother had heard as much as he could take. "That's enough! Sending Anna off to beg for mercy is degrading. Don't you remember how we treated him when he was with us?" Suddenly, a flash of realization crossed my mother's face. She quickly asked, "Did Joseph insult you when you went to see him?" I shook my head. "No. Of course not." My mother looked reassured. Almost to herself, she muttered, "Of course he wouldn't. He's always been such a well-mannered person, not to mention obedient. He clearly likes and admires you. How could he possibly insult you?" I barely suppressed a scornful laugh and said nothing in response. My father let out an anguished sign. He turned his gaze towards the unlocked balcony and declared his desire to end his life once more. Hearing this, my mother again started crying. By now, my head was ready to explode. All we needed was money. Even just a little would help stave off our creditors for a time, while we could work on getting more. A few days later, once my health had sufficiently recovered, I set out to find work. Most jobs I could find paid too little to put a dent in our debts, but I'd heard you could make good money trading booze in the high-end clubs. I'd seen this myself when I used to go clubbing with my friends. The customers in those places were crazy tippers. I picked my favorite club from the old days and went in to see if I could land myself a job. The manager recognized me immediately and was happy to bring me on board. He even let me start off by working the VIP tables. Serving those rich kids and big shots meant I was bringing in a decent living in tips. I never thought that one day, one of the VIPs I was serving would turn out to be Joseph. He would never have frequented an establishment such as this. At least, not while we were married. In fact, back then, if I was ever going to the club on a night out with friends, he would try to persuade me not to. He always said places like this were bad news. Of course, whenever to tried to stop me, I would insult and belittle him, until he gave in and left. He always seemed so innocent and naive. Yet here he was now. It was almost as if his meek and obedient nature had all been an elaborate ruse. He was staring at me in silence. The condescension in his gaze made me want to run and hide. If I'd have known he would be here tonight, I'd have swapped tables with one of the other staff. Just as I was hoping for the earth to swallow me up, a cacophony of wolf whistles caught my attention. As I looked around to see where they were coming from, I realized that everyone at the table with Joseph was one of my brother's erstwhile friends. Fair-weather would be a nice way to describe them. Now that Joseph was rich, these fawning hangers-on had flocked to him instead. They knew all about how I'd treated him, and now, as if to curry favor, they were making sure to humiliate me in turn. I could see it would be best to leave. Just as I was about to take my tray of drinks and go, a male voice piped up. Chapter 3 "Hey! Aren't you Anna? Joseph's wife? What's wrong? Feeling shy? Come have a drink. "Hold on a second ... Why are you wearing that uniform?" As soon as he finished speaking, the table erupted in laughter. I gripped the sides of my drinks tray and took a deep breath. What choice did I have? They'd already seen me, and they were going to have their fun no matter what I did. It's not like I could escape now. Who knew, maybe I could even get a few tips from them if I weathered the storm. My family's creditors weren't going anywhere. My father was still proclaiming daily how he didn't want to go on living, my mother was a one-woman waterworks, and my brother was running himself ragged as a delivery driver. Now wasn't the time for clinging on to hollow pride. I walked back over to their table, working hard to force a smile. I put on my best attempt at a jaunty voice and said, "What a coincidence. I didn't expect to see you all here. We're all friends; if you're happy with the service, feel free to leave a little something extra." "Ha ha ha." I was greeted by scoffs and sneers from the man who had called me over. I remembered his face. Back when my family had money, he was always following us around like a star-struck sycophant. Now that we had fallen on hard times, we were suddenly beneath him. I felt a strong urge to reach out and slap his grinning face. But now wasn't the time for self-indulgence. Money was more important. So, I stood there smiling politely and said nothing. This man—Phil, I think his name was—suddenly leaned across and put his face close to mine. With an obvious air of smug satisfaction, he jeered, "Look what we have here. Is this the same arrogant Anna, scion of the great Tate family? Not so high and mighty now your parents' money's all gone." The table erupted into mocking laughter once more. Will, another of my brother's old friends, joined in. "If you want a little something extra, then you'll have to work for it. You should know what kind of service people want in a place like this. Why not pull down that dress and give us a sneak peek of what's on offer?" My hands gripped the drinks tray so hard my knuckles went white. I looked over at Joseph. He was sitting there, completely unsympathetic to my plight. I lowered my gaze and placed the drinks tray carefully on the table. Forcing a smile, I said, "Please don't misunderstand. I'm here to serve drinks. We all used to get along once. If you want something to drink, it would be my pleasure to help". "Ha! Have things really got that bad for the illustrious Tates?" Phil dismissively threw his card down on the table, before saying, almost magnanimously, "There's 3,000 on that card. Get on all fours and bark like a dog and you can have it all." Another wave of cruel laughter washed over the table. The commotion had drawn the attention of a few people from the surrounding tables. I felt like a thousand eyes were on me. Two of those eyes belonged to Joseph. He was staring at me impassively, his expression hard to read. I stood there, frozen to the spot. Suddenly, Will threw his own card down on the table. "There's 10,000 on that one. Bark like a dog and then spend the night with us and you can have that one too." I stared at him in disbelief. My family may have lost all our money—about the only thing these leeches cared about—but as far as they were aware, I was still Joseph's wife. I couldn't believe they would dare talk to me like this in front of him. Unless Joseph had already told them about our divorce, but even then, they would have needed some sort of signal from him, otherwise they'd never have the courage to act like this. "What? I thought you needed the money. Now's hardly the time for self-respect." Will was smirking, menacingly. "You won't find a better deal than this anywhere else." He had a point. If my family was ever going to recover, at some point I was going to have to do a few things I wasn't happy about. I stared back at that mocking, moronic face. Just looking at him filled me with revulsion. I picked up the credit card, with its 10,000, and threw it back at Will. "If you want me for a night, then you're going to have to do better than this. Make it a million and I'm all yours." I remembered Will from his days mooching off my brother. He was one of those guys who liked to act the part, but when it came time to pay up, he was as stingy as they came. For him, parting ways with a large amout of money was like cutting off one of his own limbs. Yet now, he was willing to part with 10,000 just to humiliate me. It was hard to imagine what I could have done for him to hate me so much. Was I really that horrible of a person before? "Ha ha ha. Will, you're never going to get what you want being that close-fisted. This is THE Miss Anna Tate. 10,000 is a low-ball offer." The laughter erupted once more. Will's face had turned bright red and he shot me an angry look. "I'm not sure she's even worth that." He said, dismissively. I did my best to ignore him and turned to pick up Phil's card. "So, all I need to do is bark like a dog and this 3,000 is mine?" Phil's mocking expression suddenly turned to one of shock. He clearly never imagined I would take him seriously. I knew full well that Phil was just the same as Will: all bark and no bank account. I could see the unease on his face as he said, "The arrogant Anna Tate, looking down on all of us. Quit joking. There's no way you'd ever put aside your pride and go through with it." He reached over and tried to take his card back. I pulled the card back out of his reach. "Who said I was joking? It's not exactly hard to bark, is it? A few quick woofs and I make 3,000. Sounds like a good bit of business to me." Panic spread across Phil's stricken face. He stared at the card in my hand, desperate to take it back. Will's face had returned to its normal color. "Hurry up and bark then. I want to see how convincingly you beg." All of my pride was gone. All I could think of was the creditors knocking at our door, my parents' despair, and my brother wearing himself thin working for pennies. I took a deep breath, cleared my head, and said, "Okay." But just as I was getting down on all fours, a pair of hands lifted me back up. I looked around in surprise to find Joseph firmly grasping my elbows. My heart jumped. "Get out." His voice was soft but all of my brother's old friends heard him clearly. They all stood up from the table and headed outside. As Phil walked past, he grabbed the credit card from my hand, a grim look on his face. Joseph's eyes bored into me. "Is your family really that broke?" I extricated myself from his grasp and took a step back. "I think you're very clear on what our situation is like, Mr. Hertz." Our family's fall from grace was big news across the city. Everyone and their dog knew what dire straits we were in. There was no way Joseph wasn't already acutely aware. "Mr. Hertz?" He seemed amused, yet his gaze darkened. I had no idea what was going through his mind right then. To be honest, I just wanted him to leave. I waved towards the drinks tray, which was still sitting on the table. "If you're satisfied with my service, please feel free to leave a tip." Joseph continued to stare at me in silence, his gaze deep and impenetrable. I wasn't really hoping for a tip. I just wanted to find a way to end our conversation. I forced another smile and turned to leave. Joseph suddenly called out, "I'll give you a million." I froze, hardly believing my ears. I turned back to face him. "What did you say?" He took a step forward. Our faces were now only inches apart. He stared into my eyes. "I'll give you a million ... but you have to spend the night with me." Chapter 4 My lips quivered with barely suppressed rage. I wanted to scream at him. But this wasn't the Joseph from my marriage. He was rich now, and powerful. I swallowed my anger and replied curtly, "Joseph, please don't joke with me like this. I have work to do." "It's the same offer you gave to Will. Why not leave it open to me?" Joseph said quietly, his voice cold. I frowned. "That was hardly an offer. He was never going to accept it." "You told him that if he gave you 1,000,000, you'd spend the night with him. Well, I have a million, so why won't you spend the night with me?" I couldn't help but drop my smile. I had only given Will that "offer" because I knew he didn't have a million to give me. Did Joseph really think I was being serious? He walked over to me. He said, "Your family is in dire straits. All you need to do is spend one night with me and 1,000,000 could be yours." My hands tightened with fury. I understood exactly why he was doing this. To humiliate me. I did my best to control the emotion in my voice as I smiled at him coldly. "So, now you have money you think you're suddenly above me? It's true, my family is broke, but I'm not about to stoop so low as to trade my body!" Having said all I needed to, I turned around and hurried away. My eyes were already wet with tears. A tide of complex emotions swelled up inside me. With my brothers' old friends, it didn't matter how much they insulted me, I couldn't care less. But with Joseph, it was different. His humiliation filled me with pain and sadness. I hurried to the club's entrance hall where I was shocked to find my brother. He was dressed in his delivery driver's uniform and was surrounded by his old "friends". For the sake of a couple of notes, he was kneeling on the floor before them. At that moment, my remaining pride and self-respect crumbled to nothing. I bit my lip, tears streaming from my eyes. To make a little money, my brother was willing to reduce himself to this, while I was too proud to face up to Joseph's insult and make our family a million. I turned around and ran up the stairs I had just come down, praying that Joseph was still there. I sprinted back to his table to find him still sitting there. It was almost as if he knew I would come crawling back. There was a smile plastered on his face. I tried to compose myself as I approached him. "You must really hate me for how I treated you before." Without waiting for him to respond, I went on, "Fine. As long as you help my family pay off their debts, you can humiliate me any way you want, for as long as you please." Joseph lowered his gaze to his glass. He smiled even wider. "You'd be willing to be my mistress?" I took a deep breath. "Yes." He'd got rid of me as his wife, to replace me with his sweetheart, but he still wanted to keep me as his mistress. The shame was almost too much to bear. The next day, my father returned home visibly excited. He told us that our debts had all been repaid. My mother cried tears of joy as she asked my father how this had happened. He told her that Joseph had come to his senses and stepped in to help us. He had even bought us a home to live in. Suddenly, Joseph had become an angel in my mother's eyes. How he must love me to help us so much. All I could do was force a smile and bite my tongue. That afternoon, Joseph sent his driver to pick me up. My parents had no reason to be suspicious; as far as they knew, I was still his wife. To them, I was on my way to spend a happy evening with my husband, not to be used as a toy for his carnal gratification. Joseph was now living in the villa that had once belonged to my family. Not much had changed; our old servants and staff were now his. Servants are expected to follow their master, and ours had joined in more than a few times with our humiliation of Joseph. The fact that he had kept them on after taking ownership of the villa showed how magnanimous he could be. I just wondered if that magnanimity would extend to his treatment of me. Thinking back to his demeanor at the nightclub, I somehow doubted it. Our former servants and I were two different cases. At worst, they'd merely been unkind to him in passing. But I had berated him, hit him, thrown things at him, and humiliated him in front of others. Recalling my past treatment of Joseph left me feeling uncomfortable. If I'd have known that one day our roles would be reversed, I'd have been a lot nicer to him from the start. Poppy, our old maid, led me to his door. "Master Joseph asked you to wait for him here. Also ... " She paused, as though uncomfortable with what she had been asked to say. "He asked that you wash yourself before his return." My heart sank. Clearly, both of us could see what he wanted from me. But what other choice did I have? I'd already agreed to be his mistress. I was well aware that I was giving up my dignity. Joseph's room was the very same bedroom we had shared while we were married. Yet now, it felt very different. Before, there had been a mat on the floor by the side of the bed. That was where Joseph had slept while I looked down on him from my bed on high, making sure to remind him of his place. That mat was no longer here. Neither was my high and mighty feeling of superiority. Another thing that was missing was my husband's meek and obedient facade. The past is the past, I reminded myself, as I entered the bathroom with a heavy heart and turned on the shower. After getting clean, I laid down on the bed to await Joseph's return. I'd signed on to be his mistress, so I might as well play the part. Things had certainly changed since the last time I was here, but lying on that bed, I thought to myself that it could have been a lot worse. My family's debts, at the very least, had been paid off. My parents could rest easy. My brother would no longer have to work himself to the bone or prostrate himself at the feet of false friends. All of these things came as a comfort to me. I had no idea when Joseph would return. Tired out from the last few days of working and worrying, I soon fell asleep. When I awoke, there seemed to be a great weight pressing down on me. As my senses gradually returned, I realized that Joseph was on top of me. What's more, his hands were moving underneath my clothes. "How ... How dare you!" Without thinking, I raised my hands to push him off. But before I knew it, he had grabbed hold of my wrists and forced them down. "Even now, your pampered temper's still intact." He jeered at me. I gazed around at the familiar room and then at the familiar man before me. It took me a while to fully remember where I was. This bedroom we were in was now his, and I was nothing more than his mistress. My arms went limp, I meekly let out a soft apology, "I'm sorry". He laughed, standing up and heading towards the bathroom. As he cleaned himself, I wrung my hands nervously. Before all this, once I had begun to have feelings for him, the thought of his touch on my body had not been an unpleasant one. But this was different. There was nothing mutual or respectful about our current situation. This was simply possession and revenge. In such circumstances, the thought of what was to come was horrifying, but I had nowhere to run. After what seemed like an age, he finally emerged from the bathroom. The sound of the door opening once more was almost more than my frayed nerves could take.	LEARN_MORE	https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=15053&ut	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	321	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	beokn.com	DCO		https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=15053&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/464613788_1229065298338733_5472258890189944958_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=tyYaXVK2ZgMQ7kNvgF8q4DY&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AFD6Ak-mu7Ekr2g2u7OYVgz&oh=00_AYCFH7Ae4-F3h_rXRZenfBCLXpVvnWTky9jDkED46o7_Ow&oe=675EB8A1	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,631,652	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-12-10 19:42	active	1988	Read next chapter	For her, marrying her best friend and carrying his child was a dream come true. However, just at this joyful moment, the man's beloved returned... ===== "It's a good thing you're cautious. You could've lost your baby, Miss Monroe," the GYN told me seriously as she could see the shock in my eyes. Had I heard it right? I was pregnant? I was pregnant with a baby for Pierce--my best friend and my first crush! On the way out of the hospital, I couldn't wait to tell Pierce about our baby. I wondered what his reaction would be. Would he scream in happiness? God! I couldn't contain my happiness. I cupped my flushed face as I fantasized, but the moment I felt the cold of the simple ring on my finger, my wildly beating heart calmed down. I almost forgot that Pierce wasn't the type to be keen on having children, especially since our marriage was arranged by his family. Pierce was a complete gentleman, both as a friend and a husband. Every time we did intimate thing, he was considerate yet cautious, saying there was no need to add extra shackles when we weren't ready. This baby, in a way, was out of the plan. "Ma'am, is everything okay? Do you need to call the boss?" my private driver, Luke, asked worriedly as he noticed my frown. Luke was reliable, like family, but if I chose to share, I still wanted Pierce to be the first to know this news. He was my baby's father. "No," I shook my head, giving Luke a reassuring smile. "He's on a flight. I'll talk to him later myself." I wanted to sense his answer directly from his raw expressions. I was always good at that. I closed my eyes, recalling the first day we met. His bright smile in the sunlight was so dazzling; he was a Prince. Long before we became best friends, I fell in love with him at first sight. But it was only unrequited love; I knew that well. I slid down the car window to get some fresh air but accidentally caught a glimpse of our old high school. That bitter feeling filled my chest once again. Pierce was my first love, but I wasn't his. In high school, I was just a boring nerd in others' eyes while Pierce Anderson was the shining quarterback. Everyone was surprised that we could be friends. Though envy arose, I enjoyed being around him. I slowly realized that I didn't just want to be his friend. However, right when I was about to confess my feelings to him, another girl came into his life. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of those sad memories. I gripped the cold wedding ring on my finger, telling myself the past was the past. Pierce said they were over, and I was his wife now. I was his wife who was carrying his baby. I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes and opened the door to our house. My heart calmed as I breathed in the scent of home. Our home. Pierce and I decorated it together with our own hands. We enjoyed it. Yes, I must have been overthinking. That woman had been out of our lives for a long time, and my marriage with Pierce had been as beautiful as a fairy tale for the past three years. I glanced at the clock on the wall. At this point, Pierce should have gotten off the plane. He had been traveling for over a month for the sake of our family's business. Pierce was the President of ADE, the leading fashion magazine company in Asia, and I was actually the Vice President. We were not only life partners but also good partners at work. I really missed him. I dialed his number immediately. I wanted to hear his voice now, to know when he would arrive home. I would prepare a good meal for him, and he would reward me with a sweet kss. Then we might do intimate thing... Oops, I almost forgot I was pregnant now. I needed to tell him this first before we could do anything else. I was happily envisioning our lovely reunion when my heart dropped as a woman's voice came over the line. [Hello?] I snapped the phone as just one word came out. My phone fell to the floor, and my body started shaking uncontrollably. NO! It couldn't be her! It couldn't be Lexi! She was already out of our lives! I must have misheard. I rushed to the fridge, attempting to calm myself with some alhol. But the moment I was reminded of the doctor's words and my baby. I needed to be cautious for my baby's sake. I turned to grab a box of milk and walked toward the sofa. I didn't know what made me recognize that as Lexi's voice at that moment. I meant Lexi and I were never close. Lexi Gilbert was a typical blonde beauty that men would go crazy for. She was the popular cheerleader in high school while Pierce was the star quarterback. A better match than he and a nerd like me, right? It wasn't surprising that he had fallen for her. My pride couldn't stand watching the man I loved go crazy for another woman. So I had once tried to stay away from them silently, but Pierce refused to quit my life. Every time I drowned myself in a sea of books and studies to forget them, Pierce would appear at my doorstep asking me out. I couldn't say no to his charming smile; I couldn't refuse when he claimed it was his duty as my best friend to take me out to enjoy the real world. To avoid ruining our friendship, I could only hide my broken heart, silently playing the role of his best friend while watching his happy face as he pursued another girl. I finally mustered the courage to study abroad when I learned that Pierce was planning to propose to Lexi. However, I never expected Grams would call to beg me to return. I hurried back only to see a lifeless Pierce. His heart was shattered, thanks to Lexi. My beloved sunshine boy was nowhere to be seen, and my heart bed for him. I started to hate Lexi from that moment. I gave up my cherished man for her, and how dared she harm him so badly! Pierce didn't tell anyone what happened except that he was done with Lexi. Grams arranged our marriage. I didn't understand why he agreed until the day I heard him say that marrying anyone but Lexi would be the same for him. It hurt like hell, but I still walked into this marriage without a second thought. My cherished boy was broken, and I wanted to fix him, not caring if I ruined myself in the process. I fell asleep at home, feeling insecure and worried. I woke up in the middle of the night when I felt someone caressing my cheek. Slowly, I opened my eyes and realized I had fallen asleep in the living room. Someone lifted me from the couch. I immediately recognized his scent and touch as I looked at him with heavy-lidded eyes. "Pierce..." "Hmm," he hummed as he walked toward the stairs. "Why did you sleep on the couch?" I stared at his face as he gently placed me down on the bed. He caressed my hair and kssed my forehead. He was always so gentle, and that was why I loved him so much. "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you," I said as I caressed his cheek. "Just met a friend. You said you were waiting for me; is it something urgent?" Looking at his gentle face, I suddenly didn't want to ruin the moment, so I closed my parted lips and swallowed the truth back down. Tomorrow, maybe tomorrow, I would have the courage to face all the puzzles. I shook my head and pouted, signaling that I was sleepy. He chuckled and carefully carried me to the bed. Just as he was about to leave me after giving me a goodnight kss, I panicked for some reason. I quickly grabbed him... I missed him. I wanted him. "Wait, Kels," he said, stopping me by pinning my hands to the bed. "I thought you said you were sleepy and needed to rest." "But I think I miss you more now." I looked at him with innocence and caught the dire flashing in his eyes, but I didn't know why it faded so quickly. He used to be happy when I took the initiative. As if noticing my confusion, he chuckled and playfully pinched my nose. "I'll just take a shower." I nodded and watched him as he walked toward the bathroom. But drowsiness struck again, so I closed my eyes to take a nap. However, it was already morning when I opened my eyes again, and Pierce was beside me, putting a tray of food on the bedside table. "Hey!" I greeted, smiling when I realized what he'd done. He had prepared breakfast for me. In bed. The sweetest. He smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. "Good morning." I grinned as I sat up. He carried the tray and put it beside me. I shot an eyebrow up, tilting my head as I stared at his handsome face. His deep brown eyes and thick, black eyebrows complemented his striking features. "What is this? Is this a bribe? You stood me up last night, bad boy." He didn't laugh. Instead, he heaved a sigh, gently tucking my hair behind my ear before taking my hand and staring into my eyes. "I have something to tell you." My heart raced. I thought about our baby. He had something to say, and I did too. "W-What is it?" I asked, feeling my voice tremble. He took a deep breath. "You know you're important to me, right?" I slowly nodded, my lips parted. I couldn't speak; I was scared of what he was about to say. I had a bad feeling about this. "You were my best friend before we got married. You're one of the few people I treasure..." I hid my clenched fists under the sheets. I didn't understand why he was telling me this, but I felt tears pooling in the corner of my eyes already. "Kelly..." He paused, squeezing his eyes shut before looking into mine again. "I-I think it's time for us to divorce." "P-Pierce..." My heart clenched. He smiled sadly. "I know you don't have feelings for me either. You only married me because of my grandparents. You just did this because you love them. Now it's time for our real happiness, Kelly." I shook my head. "W-What are you talking about, Pierce?" "Lexi is back, Kelly. My first love is back." Chapter 2 Kelly's POV--It Never Rains but It Pours I got off the bed and tried to leave, but Pierce grabbed my hand. I quickly wiped the tears rolling down my cheeks before he could see them. He stood in front of me, searching my face as I struggled to look down and avoid his gaze. My heart felt like it was breaking into pieces. I thought... I thought I could make him fall in love with me during those three years together. I believed his feelings would deepen, that he would see me as a woman rather than just a best friend. I was foolish to hope and dream so high. I had failed. No matter how hard I tried, his heart belonged only to his first love, Lexi. "Kelly..." I sucked in a breath and swallowed the pain as I looked at him. I forced a smile. "I need to wash up before eating." He stared into my eyes, trying to figure out what I was thinking. I knew he understood me too well, so I made a concerted effort to hide my pain and smiled back at him. He sighed and let go of my hand. "Okay. I'll wait for you here. Let's eat and go to work together." Together? How cruel could he be? He still wanted us to get along as if he hadn't just asked for a divorce? He wanted us to stay the same right after telling me that his first love was back and he wanted to divorce me? Oh, Pierce, what's going on in your head? If I used to be able to force myself to remain in the role of his best friend, wishing him happiness, I no longer had that courage after the three years we'd shared. There was no way I could endure that kind of torture again, especially now that I was carrying his baby. The baby... I had thought it was good news for us, but now... it felt more like a burden to him, I guess. A burden that would prevent him from pursuing his true love and freedom. I knew how an unwanted child could grow up. My parents divorced even before my mother died, and my father's new family hated me. It hurt like hell. I didn't want my baby to experience that same pain. I needed to keep my child away from it. I forced another smile. "We can't. I need to visit the studio for the photoshoot of our new models..." "I'll go with you--" "No." I pushed his hand away. His eyes followed my hand before he looked up at me again. "You have some documents to sign. Our schedules are already organized, remember?" "But..." "I have a personal driver, Pierce. I'll be fine going alone." He sighed and slowly nodded. I turned my back on him and entered the bathroom. I immediately opened the shower and stood under the cold water. Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I covered my mouth to suppress my sobs. My shoulders trembled violently, and when I thought about my baby, I swallowed hard, trying to calm myself down. I wiped my face and caressed my belly. I needed to be strong. I had to stay calm. I shouldn't put my baby's life at risk just because I got my heart broken. I had to handle this wisely. I took a deep breath and finished my shower. When I got out of the bathroom, I was shocked to see Pierce still there. He was struggling to fix his tie in front of the full-length mirror. I also noticed my pair of heels and dress on the bed. "Hey! I picked your dress for today." Since our marriage wasn't public, Pierce had said he would try to do little things for me as a husband. He did it well, and I used to enjoy these sweet moments, but now, they felt like dgers to my heart. I grabbed the dress and went into the walk-in closet. I felt him following me. I put the white dress back and picked a red one. When I turned to face him, his forehead was creased. "I prefer red today. I'd feel beautiful in this dress." His eyes landed on the dress I was holding, and his face immediately relaxed. He nodded and walked toward me. "I see. Help me fix this first." I placed my dress on his arm and started adjusting his tie. I could feel his eyes staring intently and it was making my heart beat so fast. I took a deep breath and chewed my bottom lip as I struggled to fix the tie. My vision started to blur again. D*n! "Kelly..." I jumped in shock. "Hmm?" "Are you okay?" I looked at him and smiled. "Yeah." "I have something else to say." I finished fixing his tie, then immediately grabbed the dress from him. I glanced at him before walking past him and said, "Let's just talk some other time. I'm going to be late." I heard him sigh as he followed me again. He's silent the whole time as if he's thinking about something. "You should eat before you leave." I turned to him and nodded. "I will. You should go now." "Kelly, we're on the same page, right?" I stared at him. No, Pierce. We're never on the same page. All of this was just my stupid fantasy. I thought you had feelings for me, and I was so wrong. "If it's about the divorce, I understand everything, Pierce. I know what I have to do. Just give me some time because I'm really busy with the company. I won't run away." "Kelly, I'm not just doing this for myself. I'm doing this for you too. You've been caged with me ever since we got married. I know you're not happy because deep down, you want to find the man you deserve. Someone who will truly love you. Not me. Not someone who's half-hearted." "I understand what you're trying to say, Pierce," I said, trying to turn away, but he held me by the waist, keeping me in place. He did everything he could to capture my gaze, and he succeeded. He looked at me worriedly. "You are my best friend. I don't want to lose you, Kels. You're one of the few people I..." "I know," I said out of frustration. He looked shocked, so I took a breath to calm myself. "I-I know. You don't have to worry. I'm just stressed about work. It's not about our divorce." His lips parted, and he slowly nodded, as if he could finally breathe properly. He walked toward me, and I froze when he gently kssed my forehead... "Thank you, Kelly," he whispered. My heart clenched. It had been three years, but I was still such a coward. Why couldn't I just tell him that I loved him? He's my husband, and I'm carrying his baby! If I told him, he might change his mind! I swallowed hard, ready to speak, but his phone rang. I didn't miss the caller ID. Again, it was Lexi. "I gotta go." He scratched his head in apology, and I didn't miss the upturned corners of his mouth. "I called Luke, and he's waiting outside. Eat before you go, okay?" With that, he left our room. The tears I had managed to hold back burst forth again. Why did I think I could have a chance? He had made his choice the moment he asked for a divorce, hadn't he? Whenever it came to Lexi, I was always the one he would abandon. Chapter 3 Kelly's POV--Stiff Upper Lip I entered the studio wearing two-inch red heels and a red dress. Everyone turned to look as I walked down the hallway, greeting me with smiles, but my face remained stoic, not showing any emotions at all. The conversation with Pierce this morning lingered in my mind, but I couldn't let it affect my work. I couldn't fail my work after I had failed my marriage. I took a deep breath to steady myself. However, when I entered the photoshoot room, I could notice everyone was in chaos. "We can't! She's not answering her calls. What should we do? The Vice President is coming today. She'll be furious." "We can just tell her the truth. She's nice." "Not in this situation, Lily! She'll scold us--" "What's happening here?" I asked, stepping further into the room. The staff turned to me with worried expressions, and I knew then that something was wrong. "G-Good morning, Miss Monroe." Miss Monroe. Of course, no one knew that Pierce and I were married except for our families. I felt a pinch in my heart because of that truth. It hurt. I stared at her blankly, "What? "W-We have a problem, Miss Monroe. Miss Chen, our model, has been refusing our calls. She said she heard that we're changing the model, so...she doesn't want to come here. She's even threatening to file a case against us." She bowed her head, and I gritted my teeth, scanning the room. "Where's the marketing manager?" "S-She's still trying to convince Miss Chen, Miss Monroe." I massaged my forehead, squeezing my eyes closed. I grabbed my hair and screamed in so much anger, causing everyone around me to jump in shock. I ganed, sucking in a breath before looking around. "Miss Monroe..." "What is this, Miss Hayley? You're the marketing manager. What's happening?" "Miss Monroe, I don't know how it happened, but Miss Chen heard that you're changing our model. She's about to file a case against us--" Changing the model? How had I not known about this? Miss Chen had always been a trusted partner, and if not necessary, changing models for a commercial shoot on short notice would only create chaos for the company. I would never allow such a costly mistake. "I never asked for that. You must be mistaken." I cut her off to save the time, "Fix this mess, or I'll have to fire you!" "Miss Monroe... It's Mr. President who ordered the change." Hayley spoke hesitantly. "He instructed us as soon as he returned from his business trip yesterday." The truth hit me hard. Pierce's order? Why hadn't he told me? He used to discuss every major decision with me first. "It shouldn't be..." Confusion clouded my mind. Pierce was not a clueless businessman; he maintained a clear distinction between work and personal matters, which was why he always succeeded. And that was also why he chose to keep our marriage a secret. "Yes, Kelly. I gave the order." The voice pulled me back. "M-Mr. President..." Hayley bowed in respect as the man suddenly appeared behind me. "I think you owe me an explanation, Pierce. About changing the model!" I snapped as I turned to face him. He knew how much effort I had put into securing this project. I hadn't slept well for days, and Miss Chen was the perfect fit for us. He had agreed too. But now... he just changed the model as he liked without informing me in advance. It felt like a hard sp in the face. "Go ahead with the work. I'll explain it to her." He pacified the staff first, ignoring the anger simmering in my eyes. "Answer me, Pierce! Why did you change the model so suddenly?" I couldn't contain my fury. He touched my shoulder and whispered, "This isn't the place to talk. Let me explain in the car." I glanced around, noticing others sneaking glances at us. I shook off his hand and walked toward the parking lot, my heart growing heavier with each step. I had a sinking feeling I wouldn't like his explanation. "Now, say it," I blurted once we were seated in his car. He stared into my eyes as if weighing my emotions. I looked away again.; I couldn't bear his gaze. I couldn't withstand his eyes that never looked at me the way I wanted him to. He had no feelings for me and it hurt so much. "I-I..." he paused, sighing. "I replaced Miss Chen because Lexi wants to be our model. She's also a good fit, so I agreed--" "What?" I asked in disbelief. He pressed his lips together and looked away, ruffling his hair in frustration before shaking his head and holding my hand. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It was just so sudden. She asked for a favor, and I couldn't say no." I pulled my hand away, looking at him with a mix of pain and anger. "You can't say no to her, so you'd rather harm the company--our company. You've betrayed me, Pierce." "Kels, come on. You know how much I love her. She's my first love." Painfully, I closed my eyes. Oh yes, she was your first love. She's always the one you want, no matter the cost. As long as she frowns a bit, you turn a blind eye to the pain and effort of others. You're so heartless, Pierce. "Well, you've made your decision. I don't have a say in this since you're the President. Just go. I'll be in the office." I said coldly, opening the car door to leave. "Kelly..." I looked him in the eyes. "Go home early. Let's talk about our divorce at home tonight." Chapter 4 Kelly's POV--Left High and Dry I was playing with the wedding ring on my finger. I told him to go home early, but he didn't come home at all. He wasn't even answering my calls. Well, now Lexi was back; this house was probably not home in his eyes anymore. My eyes turned to my pregnancy report on the table. What a mockery. I was still naive to hold a glimmer of hope that things would be different if I told him about the baby. But forget this baby thing was out of his plan. I wiped away the tears collecting at the corners of my eyes and picked up the report. It was 5 a.m. already when I looked at the clock on the wall. I tried to dial his number again, but it was still busy. What was he busy with? Was he busy staying with Lexi? He must have missed her a lot, didn't he? I didn't remember how I fell asleep. When the alarm clock went off, he didn't come home yet. I sneered at myself as I caught my reflection in the dresser mirror. The dark circles under my eyes were so clear, and my hair was a total mess, looking like a ghost. Suddenly, a wave of nausea flooded my stomach, and I realized I hadn't eaten anything last night. Feeling sick again, I ran to the sink and puked. I spat yellowish liquid, and while I was washing my mouth, I felt a warm hand caressing my back. I immediately lifted my face and met a pair of brown eyes looking at me through the mirror. Standing behind me with a worried expression was my husband, Pierce. I had always been thankful to have him as my best friend and husband, but now... I'm losing him. Hopelessly losing him. "Are you okay? Are you not feeling well? You should've told me." I stared at him through the mirror. "You didn't answer my calls." Guilt flickered in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I had some things to do. I stayed in the office all night." I wiped my face and walked past him. He followed me as I sat in front of the vanity and started combing my hair. "Kels..." "I woke up late. I failed to prepare breakfast." I tried to avoid his eyes. I felt like I would lose my temper and snap at him. There was no moment when I felt his selfishness so clearly as now. He called me his best friend, yet he had never seriously confronted my needs. My feelings. "Kels... you know I'm not asking about this. I'm just worried about your condition..." "Kels, are we still okay?" I stopped combing my hair and slowly met his eyes. Through the mirror, again. Really? He's asking me that? After he offered me a divorce without even asking if I was okay with it? He decided on his own, just because his first love is back. I couldn't believe him. I faked a smile. "I just don't feel well today, Pierce." He immediately squatted beside me, which was not surprising because I knew he truly cared. What surprised me was why he was still doing this after he buried a dagger in my heart. "Are you okay?" He gently touched my forehead and neck. "Are you sick? Tell me how you feel, Kels." "My feelings don't matter," I couldn't help but blurt out. He looked shocked by what I said. When I attempted to avoid him, he grabbed my wrist and made me face him. His face was mirroring his anger now. He was completely lost his patience. "What's wrong with you, Kels? You've been acting like this since yesterday. Is this about Lexi? Or was it because I didn't come home last night?" I looked him in the eyes, annoyed. "You're the one who asked for a divorce! I told you to come back earlier, but you just let me wait the whole night. How do you want me to greet you this morning, Pierce?" He clenched his jaws and shook his head. "Kels, I..." "Enough. We can talk about the divorce after work today." "Kels!" He called and grabbed my shoulders. Confusion and pain were visible in his eyes. "Are you... in love with me?" I was taken aback. In love? Yes! Ever since we were in high school. Ever since he became my best friend. Who wouldn't fall for someone who had been protecting you ever since? But of course, I couldn't tell him. It would only complicate things more. I didn't even want him to pity me. I shook my head and pushed his arms away. "Are you on dgs? I'm not in love with you." I turned my back on him and entered the bathroom again. I locked it before going to the bathtub. I should focus on myself. I can't let my emotions affect me, but... why are my tears falling again? "You are so pathetic, Kelly! You can't even tell him how you truly feel," I whispered to myself as I wiped my tears angrily. It took me almost an hour to bathe. When I was done, I realized Pierce had already left. I shook my head in disbelief. He's been constantly abandoning me. I can't believe we've reached this point. I thought we were okay. I was so stupid. * "Good morning, Miss Monroe..." "Good morning, Vice President..." I did not greet anyone back, just like how I used to greet them. I still felt pissed, and my mood seemed off. Irritation could easily take over me, and I couldn't control it. Probably because of Pierce's divorce proposal or because of my pregnancy. I was about to enter my office when I heard two girls talking. "Did you see her? I bet she's Mr. Anderson's girlfriend. They seemed close." My forehead creased. Pierce's girlfriend? "Ah! It's a waste that I didn't see her face, but I feel like it's Miss Lexi." "Lexi? Lexi Gilbert? The model?" "Yes! I bet my whole month's salary on this. They look good together." "Come on! Miss Monroe and Mr. Anderson look better together." "Are you serious? They're best friends. You know, some people are better off just friends. It's Mr. Anderson and Miss Monroe." I squeezed my eyes closed and pushed the door of my office. I slowly closed it and rested my back against it. This is harder than I expected. I took a deep breath and sat in my swivel chair. I opened the computer at the same time a notification popped up on the screen of my phone. My hands started shaking as soon as I saw the notification. It was Pierce's social media update. He uploaded a photo of him and Lexi together, eating in a fancy restaurant. I balled my fists and gritted my teeth. See, Kelly? That's what happens when you step into such a loveless marriage without a second thought. You would only break yourself if you continued on the wrong path. Just get a divorce. Spare him and yourself. Your baby needs a strong mommy... ...... ==== Marrying her best friend was a dream come true for Kelly, but everything truly has a limitation. Pierce is Kelly's first love, but as his best friend, she knew well there was always another woman deep in his heart, Lexi Gilbert. Kelly finally realized their happy marriage of the last three years was just a beautiful dream when Pierce asked for a divorce just because Lexi returned. She could only be his best friend even if she was carrying his baby. Since their friendship had become a cage, Kelly chose to set him free, as well as the miserable herself. But why then, it was Pierce who became the one who refused to move on? To make matters worse, her devil stepbrother also domineeringly stepped in at the same time, asking her to be his. What happens next? How could Kelly save her heart in this battle of love and hate? Available chapters here are limited, click the button below to install the App and enjoy more exciting chapters (Automatically jump to this novel when you open the app) &3&	LEARN_MORE	https://fbweb.moboreader.net/61818322-fb_contact-e	Romantic Novel City	https://www.facebook.com/100083790041265/	4,121	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn more	fbweb.moboreader.net	IMAGE		https://fbweb.moboreader.net/61818322-fb_contact-encp25_2-1103-core3.html?adid={{ad.id}}&char=331118&accid=1166169688155768&rawadid=120213581487410597	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/465988391_2356885257992504_3827140869524254642_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=I6yYgEpRut4Q7kNvgHCpw_8&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=Afl4cmPEnhGyFMjVbbf64s5&oh=00_AYDJDUz7dpn0M8L8OOX9JCaLJufLCzR-dafSzaGkMTdwNg&oe=675EC85F	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Romantic Novel City	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,630,099	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2630327}'	Yes	2024-12-10 19:08	active	1986	Holiday business giveaway	🚨 HOLIDAY BUSINESS GIVEAWAY 🚨 🎉 Calling all business owners! Clear Vision Media is giving away a FREE Content Bundle worth $270! 🎉 What’s included? 👉 4 Custom Posts tailored to your brand 👉 4 Engaging Reels you can post on your schedule 👉 Authentic content that speaks to your audience! 📢 Here’s how to enter: 1️⃣ Like this post ❤️ 2️⃣ Follow us 3️⃣ Eneter to Win ⏰ Don’t wait—entries close on January 3rd, 2025! Winner announced on January 6th, 2025. ✨ Your business deserves a content glow-up, so let’s make it happen! Ready to win? Start tagging NOW! #Giveaway #ContentCreation #SocialMediaMarketing #ClearVisionMedia #SmallBusinessSupport	SIGN_UP		Clear Vision Media, Florida	https://www.facebook.com/ClearVisionMediaFlorida/	471	1969-12-31 18:00	Sign up		IMAGE			1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/470061404_1124076555983975_1515717884749306462_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=iHXn2J2N3N0Q7kNvgFYp50f&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=ASSPjXa6qOfRF311UDgkyDo&oh=00_AYD5Cje36L_Rb_v9dmhZPA-sy5ain2vWu89aFyjHQu3k0A&oe=675EAAFA	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Clear Vision Media, Florida	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,634,311	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2635046}'	Yes	2024-12-10 20:42	active	1989	🔞Attention! Do not read in public！👉	February in Sureton City was wet. It had been drizzling throughout the day, leaving the roads damp. The cold wind brought with it the rain, making Freya Somner shiver. She held an umbrella and curled up while crouching before the entrance to the city hall. It was already 5:00 pm. Would that person come? She was worried as she thought about her grandfather, Neil Somner, who lay sick in bed. Had he finished his IV drip? Would he need to use the restroom? Had Thomas Talbot already gone home? She looked up and scanned the empty streets. The city hall would close for the day at 5:30 pm. She would just grit her teeth and wait for another half an hour, then. If that person didn't show up, she could blame him and tell Neil and Thomas that he'd stood her up. It wasn't because she didn't want to marry him or anything. Neil was sick. As a traditional medicine practitioner, he knew his time was running out. Freya was his only concern—she would be alone in the world once he passed. He'd contacted Thomas, whom he'd saved many years ago. Thomas had promised Neil that he would do everything in his power to help if Neil ever needed it. All Neil had to do was make the call. Years had passed since then, but the call had miraculously gone through. Thomas had shown up the very next day. Neil had explained the situation to him and asked Thomas to help care for Freya in the future. Thomas had generously said, "It's only natural for me to care for her. How about this—I have many grandsons, so I'll have one of them marry Fae as a way of repaying you. That way, she won't be alone." Neil had agreed, leaving Freya with no room to object. She didn't want to marry—she could take care of herself and was fine alone. She was currently staying at the dormitory her university had prepared for graduate students. She even had 2,300 a month as financial aid. Eating at the hospital's and university's cafeterias was cheap—she only needed to spend 15 a day on food. However, Neil had insisted. He felt that it was hard to predict the future, and he would only be able to rest in peace once he saw that marriage certificate. That way, he'd be able to face Freya's parents in the afterlife with no regrets. Freya's parents had died after falling off a cliff. They'd been searching for a herbal catalyst to save Thomas back in the day. It had rained that day, just as it had on this day. Freya had seen her parents' corpses entwined with one another, their hands still clutching the herbal catalyst. After her parents passed away, she and Neil depended on each other for survival. It was on that day that she'd suddenly grown up. She'd studied hard and skipped grades, sitting for her SATs at 17 years old. Then, she'd gotten into Sureton University's medical faculty, joining the seven-year integrated bachelor's and master's program. She only had two years to go before she could graduate and officially start working. Things were starting to look good. Then, Neil had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. It was taking his life away. The screeching of brakes pulled Freya out of her reverie. She looked up at the offroad vehicle before her. It was painted a military green and covered in mud, and the tires were soiled. It was clear the car had ventured through the mountains. The door opened, blocking the man's face from her view. Still, she'd gotten a glimpse of his chiseled features. His bushy brows, tall nose, and deep-set eyes formed a handsome, honest face. With the door open, all Freya could see was the army pants enveloping his long legs and the leather boots he wore. It was a cold day, yet he only wore an olive green T-shirt. He stepped away from the car. Before Freya could take a closer look at his face, he approached her, stopping before her so his boots were level with her eyes. "Are you Freya Somner?" he asked, his voice deep and somewhat daunting. "Yeah." "Let's get married, then." He turned and headed into the city hall. Chapter 2 Freya wanted to stand up, but she'd been crouching for so long that her legs had gone numb. "What's wrong?" the man asked. "My legs have gone numb." She was lifted off her feet as soon as the words were out of her mouth. An unfamiliar scent enveloped her, and she felt her face burn. The man placed her on the seat before the counter. "Get your identification." She kept her head lowered as she obediently placed the things on the counter. "Daniel Talbot," the staff said. "That's me," the man said. "Freya Somner." "Here," Freya said. She looked up at the staff. The staff looked at the identification she held, then at Freya. The latter's eyes were spirited but also carried a hint of naivety. Freya was only 22, but Daniel was already 28. He'd even carried her in. That made the staff suspect whether Freya had been forced into this. She asked, "Are you here to get married at your own will?" "Yes, I am," Freya said. "Alright, then. Fill up these forms, please." At 5:30 pm, Freya and Daniel walked out of the city hall. Freya looked down at her marriage certificate. She'd gone from being single to married once the staff stamped the certificate. She'd married a man she'd met for the first time without even dating him. The whole thing had only taken a matter of minutes. Daniel stopped and looked at her. "Where are you headed now?" She had kept her head down and hadn't been paying attention to the distance between them. She walked right into his chest. Pain spread through her, starting from her nose. Tears welled in Freya's eyes. How could his chest be as hard as a wall? She clamped a hand over her nose and looked at him tearily. "I'm going back to the hospital." He was so tall that her eyes were only level with his chest. It was incredibly muscular and looked just like the diagrams she'd seen in her medical texts. "Get in the car," he said. Freya struggled to open the door. She tugged it with all her strength, but it didn't budge. Daniel saw her from the driver's seat. He waved at her, gesturing for her to back up. Then, he opened the door from inside. "Which hospital are you going to?" he asked. "The county tumor hospital, the one at Percat Street. Thanks." Freya obediently settled in her seat. "Your seatbelt," he said. She put it on, and he started the car. She noticed that his hands and arms were tanned, with protruding veins. He oozed strength and power. Suddenly, Freya's stomach rumbled. The sound was magnified in the silent car. She instinctively held her stomach, her face turning beet red. What was wrong with her? Why did she keep embarrassing herself? Was there something about her that made her incompatible with Daniel? Her stomach continued to rumble for a while. Finally, the car stopped. Freya thought they'd arrived at the hospital and moved to open the door. Then, she looked out and said, "We're not at the hospital." Daniel had already gotten out of the car, though. He headed to a fruit store without looking back at her. Soon, he returned with a bag full of fruits. "I don't know what your grandfather likes, so I bought a little of everything." "He can't eat anything. Doctor's orders." Daniel looked at her, perhaps because she sounded too calm. Only then did Freya notice how deep-set his eyes were. There was a hint of dominance in them. "You have them, then." He placed the bag on her lap. "Have some to tide the hunger. I'm in a rush." Freya wondered whether he was showing his concern for her. A wave of warmth surged in her as she peeled a banana. It was sweet. … The nurse had just removed Neil's IV drip when Freya and Daniel arrived at the ward. Thomas took the marriage certificates from Daniel and Freya and held them before Neil. He said happily, "Look at this, Neil. They're official marriage certificates with the stamps and all. They're genuine!" Neil smiled and nodded weakly. "That's great. I won't have anything to worry about anymore." "Come closer so Neil can see you, Dan," Thomas said. Daniel stepped forward. "Hi, Grandpa." Neil's smile widened. "Hi…" He held Daniel's hand and said, "I'll leave Freya in your hands from now on. She's a softie but is stubborn on the inside. I hope you'll be more tolerant of her and take the time to explain your thoughts to her if you two ever get into an argument." Tears streamed down Freya's face when she heard this. Daniel said, "I will, Grandpa." "Don't worry, Neil. We won't mistreat Freya. Daniel has property and a car—I'll have him show Freya around his place right now. She can move in when she's free," Thomas said. Freya forgot about crying and stared at Thomas in shock when she heard that. Didn't she and Daniel only have to get married? Why did they even have to live together? "Go on, then. It's still light out, so you can see what the place is like," Neil said. Daniel and Freya headed to his place under Thomas' urging. Chapter 3 Daniel's apartment was in Sureton City's central commercial area. It was an expensive area with good infrastructure—the medical and education systems were well-established. The residential area was right next to Sureton City's largest park. Freya looked at the minimalist, almost stark apartment. The marble coffee table was covered in a layer of dust. "This is your home?" "Yeah." Daniel also saw the dust. "I don't usually stay here." That didn't make sense at all. Why would anyone not live in their own home? Freya couldn't understand it. "There's a card here that you can use to pay for the utilities." He opened a drawer in the TV cabinet to show her. "If anything needs fixing, you can speak to the management office. "I'll have someone clean up the place later. There are two rooms, so you can pick whichever one you want. Feel free to use the study as well…" Freya observed the place. It was well renovated but showed no signs of being lived in. There weren't even any plates or utensils around. "What am I to you?" she suddenly asked. "My wife." "But I feel like your mistress," she said boldly. She didn't know whether Daniel had a girlfriend or anything—perhaps he'd only married her due to Thomas' pressure. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made her wait a whole afternoon for him, only arriving right before the city hall closed for the day. "What are you getting at?" Daniel asked. "I'm fine with getting a divorce if you already have a partner—our grandfathers have seen the marriage certificates, anyway. I don't want to inadvertently end up as a homewrecker." She respected the elderly but wouldn't do anything immoral just to comply with Neil's and Thomas' wishes. Daniel understood now. "I'm single. I usually stay at the military camp in the mountains." Freya recalled his offroad vehicle and the mud on it. That, coupled with his outfit, made her realize just who he was. "I'm sorry for misunderstanding you." "It's fine. I'll take you back to the hospital now—you can move in here whenever it's convenient for you." "What about you?" she blurted. Then, she disdained herself for asking. What did his matters have to do with her? "I need to head back after this. There's an urgent mission I need to handle." That was the last thing Daniel said to her. … Shortly after Daniel left, Neil's condition took a turn for the worse, and a new semester started. Freya bustled back and forth between the university and the hospital daily. On days when Neil felt better, he could even hold Freya's hand and reminisce with her. Neither of them mentioned that rainy night, though. He kept telling her that life was long and that she had to live well independently. However, he also told her she couldn't expect to do everything herself. She had to give in occasionally. Daniel looked like a good man, and they had to communicate with each other. They had to understand each other… Neil said many things. Freya wanted to object to everything and tell him that none of that mattered. She wanted him to know that she only wanted to spend her life with him in a small town called Floriver Town. She wanted to read medical texts and pick herbs with him. However, as a doctor, she was rational enough to know there was no chance of them ever returning to that life. The reports and data she saw every day were enough to tell her that Neil's condition was deteriorating. She cried almost daily throughout that month but hid it well. Neil never noticed. One day, white clouds floated in the blue sky. Freya drew the curtains, allowing the sunlight to stream into the room. Neil was in good spirits. "The weather is so nice today, Fae. Maybe you should take me off my oxygen tube now." He sounded calm, but Freya faltered while clipping his nails. She acted like she hadn't heard him and moved on to the next finger. "I can't take it anymore, Fae. I'm on drug every day, but it still hurts so bad. I'm begging you, okay?" His plea made Freya's nose prickle. Tears rolled down her face and landed on the floor, fading within seconds. Neil was a proud and strong man who'd never begged anyone in his life. Now… It looked like she really had to let him go. She slowly shut her eyes, sounding choked up as she said, "Okay. I'll get a doctor after I'm done clipping your nails." "The weather is so nice today that I feel so much more relaxed," Neil said. He lifted a hand with difficulty to caress her head one last time. It reminded her of how he'd praised her whenever she could memorize the things she'd read in the medical texts. After Freya signed the necessary documents, the doctor removed Neil's oxygen tube. She stood by his bedside and held his hand until his body became devoid of warmth. Thomas helped her with Neil's funeral, after which he urged her to move into Daniel's apartment. Chapter 4 Two years passed in the blink of an eye. "There's no time to eat, Dr. Somner. We're being dispatched for a house call." Freya was in a hospital's emergency room. When she heard the nurse, Jade Winton, call her, she put a folder over her unfinished instant mac and cheese and left the doctor's lounge. "Where's Dr. Wood?" she asked while wearing a mask. She hurried to catch up with Jade. "He's accompanying Lena for a prenatal check. I've called him, and he's on his way." Jade grabbed a first-aid kit and an extra bag of gauze and bandages. She handed them to Freya. "What's the situation? Why do we need so many bandages and gauze?" "A luxury jewelry store was robbed. The store's staff called the police, but the robbers discovered them and took ten staff hostage. We're being dispatched to provide medical assistance," Jade said. She told Freya everything she knew, then added, "Don't be rash later. Leave everything to Dr. Wood." "Got it. Thanks, Jade." Freya's mentor, Jason Wood, arrived at the same time as Freya and Jade. He was a tall, skinny man whose hairline was receding. He'd come from a prenatal check with his wife, Lena Johnson, and had already changed into his uniform. It made him look particularly spirited. "What's the situation?" he asked as he got into the car. "A jewelry store's been robbed. The robbers are armed," Jade said. Silence descended upon the car. They didn't know what they were facing but had to go at it regardless. Medicine knew no borders, and all lives were equal in worth. They had to save lives as long as they were at risk. When Freya and the others arrived, the police had already secured the scene. A crowd consisting of spectators and staff from various media outlets gathered behind the police line, surrounding the place and making it hard for anyone to get through. Police cars and vehicles belonging to a SWAT team were parked outside the jewelry store. There were also three buses with the windows tinted black. Freya followed Jason out of the car. A man who looked like an administrator hurried over to them, looking anxious. "The robbers need a doctor in there to save their comrade. Which one of you two will go in?" Freya looked at the jewelry store. It had three floors and was a corner lot with an expansive view. A mall was behind it, which meant it probably had more than one exit. "I'll go," Jason said, dragging Freya out of her reverie. She gave him a disagreeable look. "No way. I'll go, Dr. Wood. You have parents and children to care for, and Lena's conceived with your second child. You can't go in there." "You can't, either. You're inexperienced." Jason's attitude was firm. "The situation is complicated. I'm the only one who can head in there." Freya didn't argue with him. She turned to the administrator and volunteered. "I'll go, sir. I've passed the medical board exam and can practice independently. I don't have any dependents or relatives to care for." He looked at her. She was young and so nervous that she clenched her fists, but her expression was calm. She was bold, but her courage needed some training. "You can go, then. We don't know the situation inside, so we can only act when the Falcon Strike Unit arrives. All you need to do when you get in there is to save whoever is injured. Drag things out for as long as possible while ensuring your safety and wait for help." "Understood, sir." Freya wore her medical cap and gave herself a mental pep talk. "Freya…" Jason started. "I have to gain experience since I don't have it, Dr. Wood. You have to give me a chance," she said. That was what medicine was like. One had to be bold and careful while constantly defeating one's old self. That way, one would only become a better version of oneself. Jason knew what Freya was like. She'd met various people when treating patients. When some of them criticized or insulted her, she wouldn't take it lying down. Her retorts left much to be desired, though. For instance, if a patient said she was incapable and that a doctor online had told them this and that, she would say, "I'll leave, then. You can ask your online doctor to treat you." Once, someone had shouted at her, saying she was useless. She'd clapped back, calling that person the useless one. "Do you guys have a bulletproof vest or something? Give one to her." Jason knew nothing he said would change Freya's mind. The administrator gave one of his subordinates a look. A member of the SWAT team brought a bulletproof vest over. Freya took her doctor's coat off and put the bulletproof vest on over her T-shirt. Then, she put her uniform on. Chapter 5 Jade handed Freya the first-aid kit before hanging the stethoscope from her neck. "You're just going to ignore everything I told you before we came here, aren't you? You're bound to get into trouble if you continue like this." "No one is more suitable than me, Jade," Freya said calmly. "It's not like the military region's general hospital lacks doctors. If you turn them down, they'll arrange for someone else to come." "But it's too far away. They'll take at least 30 minutes to arrive. That doesn't conform to the principles of pre-hospitalization emergency care." Jade was one of the emergency room's most experienced nurses, so she knew Freya was right. It was the only thing they could do under the circumstances. The administrator held a loudspeaker and shouted toward the store, "The doctor is coming. Open the door." A hoarse voice rang out as soon as the words were out of his mouth. "Put the first-aid kit on the ground and turn in a circle. Then, take everything out of the first-aid kit and lay them on the ground." Freya did as told. She'd just placed the final tool on the ground when the hoarse voice rang out again. "Put the things back in and come inside." Freya packed everything back. She was about to enter the store when she felt a cool breeze. Curious, she looked in the direction it had come. A helicopter was hovering in midair in one of the jewelry store's blind spots. A tall figure in camouflage slid down the rope and made a smooth landing. It happened in seconds. Freya stared at the man, finding his figure incredibly familiar. He wore a black mask, and his sharp eyes flitted past her. Then, he hid behind the wall. Another team member landed behind him. "Come in," the hoarse voice urged loudly. He sounded impatient. Freya knew she had to enter the store since these people had yet to infiltrate it. Once she understood that, she didn't hesitate to head inside. As soon as she pushed open the door, she smelled the metallic scent of blood. Suddenly, someone grabbed her by the neck and roughly dragged her inside. Then, he flung her onto the floor and commanded, "Save him." She looked at the man on the floor. His mask, shaped like a pig's head, had been thrown aside. He looked ashen while struggling to breathe and had cyanosis of the nail bed. These were all signs of a lack of oxygen. Freya checked him and concluded that he was having an asthma attack. His throat had swelled up, leading to breathing difficulties. She searched his bag while muttering, "Where's the inhaler?" Asthma patients would bring their inhalers when they were out, but she didn't find one in his bag. "What are you looking for?" a man in a mask shaped like a dog's head asked. "His inhaler," she said. "He doesn't have one. Do a cricothyrotomy on him right now." Freya was taken aback. "How are you related to him? You know how to save him?" Suddenly, he pressed a gun to her forehead. "Shut up if you don't want to die. Just do as I say!" The iciness of the metal made Freya's heart clench. Her mind went blank for a second, and she couldn't think. "Hurry up!" He kicked her shoulder. The pain made her snap to her senses. She forced herself to calm down and took a deep breath before commencing anatomical positioning and sterilization. Then, she inserted a thick injection needle into the cricothyroid membrane. The process didn't take long, and the man gradually started looking better. Suddenly, a black thing landed not far from Freya. Before she realized what it was, a few more followed. The inside of the store was quickly filled with smoke, and people started yelling. The alarm went off. Freya wanted to take advantage of the chaos to hide, but a hand wrapped around her neck. A gun was pressed to her forehead, and someone snarled, "You're coming with me." Chapter 6 The man dragged Freya to a secluded corner to hide. The cold feeling against her temple made her compliant. Her palms grew sweaty as she stood there, and she could hear her heart racing. No matter how nervous or scared she was, she could only place her faith in the Falcon Strike Unit and tightly hold the needle in her hand. A few minutes later, red lights flashed at them. The man dragged Freya out of their hiding spot. Before she could even see what was happening, she heard a muffled groan behind her. Then, there was a thump, and the robber's hand fell before her. She was still lost when a team of three surrounded her. A familiar voice said, "Take her out, Rabbit." "Roger, Falcon." This voice belonged to a woman. Rabbit, or Loren Smith, turned to Freya. "Come with me." Freya turned to look at the familiar man while following Loren out. He glanced at her while walking up the stairs, and his sharp eyes matched the ones in her memory. She asked Loren, "Is the person you called Falcon Daniel Talbot?" Loren faltered. Then, she continued walking out while observing their surroundings. She didn't respond to Freya's question, but Freya knew she was right. After leaving the jewelry store, the situation outside left no room for Freya to be pensive. She threw herself into work—the jewelry store's staff had more or less been injured. Jason was rescuing the most critically injured ones, so she had to handle those who were only bruised or scraped. The injured staff came and went as she stopped the bleeding, cleaned wounds, and bandaged them. "Freya." She looked up in the middle of stopping a patient's bleeding to see black leather boots before her. Then, she raised her head to find Daniel standing before her. She looked away and continued with her work. "Yes?" "Help me clean this up." He'd taken his mask off, his tanned face unreadable. It had been two years since they'd last seen each other. Now that they were reunited, Freya still couldn't help feeling a little scared of him. Based on what she remembered, he was a little domineering, and he spoke and acted brusquely. "I'm almost done here." She picked up the pace and recorded the time. Then, she called out to Jade, who was somewhere behind her, "I'm done with the last one, Jade. They can be sent to the hospital now." She turned back to Daniel. "Have a seat." She sterilized her hands and scanned him. There didn't seem to be any wounds on him, so she asked, "Where's your injury?" "The side of my abdomen." He lifted his shirt, revealing the bandage around his waist. Freya crouched before him, finding that the bandage had already been stained with blood. She removed it and looked at the stitches on the neat wound—it was a knife wound. He asked, "How have you been for the past two years?" "Not too bad." "I was on a mission abroad when your grandfather passed. I've only just returned." Freya faltered. Daniel was explaining why he had missed Neil's funeral. Her voice remained calm as she said, "I understand." They didn't speak anymore after that. Freya didn't ask about the wound, merely cleaning it and bandaging it again. She stood up and took off her gloves, throwing them into the medical waste bin. "You'll have to be careful with your wound for some time. It'll take longer for you to recover if you keep reopening it." "Thanks," he said. "You're welcome." Their conversation was polite and distant. "This is yours, right?" Daniel suddenly held out a sandalwood bracelet with an emerald pendant in the middle. Freya's face was carved on it—it didn't look much like her, though. It was a bracelet her father had made for her. "Yes, it is. Thanks." She reached out for it. Her fingers brushed against his palm as she took the bracelet from him, making her heart skip a beat. She immediately retracted her hand. "I'm leaving." Daniel stood up. He straightened his shirt and returned to his unit. Freya watched as the helicopter started up. The blades spun, lifting the aircraft into the air. Then, it flew away. "Let's go, Dr. Somner. We're taking a police car back," Jade called. Freya snapped to her senses. The helicopter was no longer in sight. All that was left was a vortex cloud left from its tail. She tightened her grip on the bracelet and packed everything up. Then, she ran to Jade with the first-aid kit and medical waste bag in hand. … After the incident, Jason requested that she be placed under counseling and given a month off. Freya returned to work after only three days at home, though. "Go home and rest," he said. "I need to do something with my hands, Dr. Wood." Jason pressed a hand to his forehead and threw her a pair of gloves. "Go to the debridement room and change the dressing for the patients there. You're not allowed to go on house calls or dispatches in the future." "Why?" Freya didn't get it.	LEARN_MORE	https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=15224&ut	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	321	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	beokn.com	DCO		https://beokn.com/market/buenovela/3?lpid=15224&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/465177296_583272707382050_3697801936779761977_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=GVOuyYpanhEQ7kNvgFE5y31&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A5AsuE4EtgDuHXJA8Yd8OBI&oh=00_AYBJQQLIs5lxhyERgF_zA8sjPAj2G_SMjDDp1umq1OzJrA&oe=675EA911	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,631,386	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2630967}'	No	2024-12-10 19:42	active	1988	4 Interest-free Payments	🎁 Black Friday is coming,The gift that wrapped up in love 🎁 ✅40% off buy 1⃣ get 1⃣ & Any order 10% off Sitewide Learn more:http://italojewelry.io/Cwo 🎁Free shipping & Easy return🎁	SHOP_NOW	https://www.italojewelry.com/?utm_source=facebook.	Italo Jeweler	https://www.facebook.com/italojeweler/	20,223	1969-12-31 18:00	Shop now	www.italojewelry.com	VIDEO	✅60-day Return & One Year Warranty	https://www.italojewelry.com/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=fb-1130-02&utm_campaign=1211-17	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/463595454_8455260231226251_8706932947213310875_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=6Q92ZejWRZQQ7kNvgGZce8W&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AD96X8LPMkUn8Ml8YRiCW9x&oh=00_AYB-IIaf7wryjXpMNqZjdRUgQLLe114WAOZn6t6B1yiWcA&oe=675EBC24	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Italo Jeweler	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,631,887	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2631886}'	Yes	2024-12-10 19:42	active	1988	Garage Door Troubles? We're Here to Help	Garage Door Troubles? We're Here to Help	LEARN_MORE	http://fb.me/	VooltPro Certified Provider	https://www.facebook.com/vooltprocertifiedproviders/	22	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	fb.me	CAROUSEL	Garage Door Troubles? We're Here to Help	http://fb.me/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/468299491_1459431068348177_8346412120480527255_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=5vtw01SY_6oQ7kNvgFdq1MO&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AA1DzAkjaKuLayAc1AkD_H1&oh=00_AYAeu7A6_K8NelNN5GNZ8V3_wNC2C7NLyqavM9q3KhYgtw&oe=675EC6D6	PERSON_PROFILE	0	VooltPro Certified Provider	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,633,881	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2632609}'	Yes	2024-12-10 19:52	active	1987	Newcastle UMC Sunday Service - December 8th, 2024	On this 2nd Sunday of advent, we are reflecting on Mary's pregnancy. As we light the candle of Peace, we are reminded of the peace that Christ brings into the world. https://newcastleumc.breezechms.com/give/online #numcok #pastorAshleyGreenYoung #newcastleok	CALL_NOW		Newcastle United Methodist Church	https://www.facebook.com/NewcastleUnitedMethodistChurch/	582	1969-12-31 18:00	Call now		VIDEO			1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469824425_1070464451544058_2959046320354305409_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=t6orvDYdUAsQ7kNvgGx6SOW&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&_nc_gid=AXuEqnovfGHuOGF0GR7vryY&oh=00_AYDnORM0t5NKixUiZiqb5eWf5WDzmlLHLbrjwXfGnFYsIg&oe=675EAC35	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Newcastle United Methodist Church	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,632,360	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2632359}'	No	2024-12-10 19:42	active	1988	Visit Virginia MOCA		BOOK_TRAVEL	https://virginiamoca.org/	Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art	https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaMOCA/	19,640	1969-12-31 18:00	Book Now	virginiamoca.org	CAROUSEL		https://virginiamoca.org/	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469914528_935046461406059_1995575307980237293_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=OuoSmj-vI5YQ7kNvgGQtOef&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AUBpxblSOrX2btu6c8rIXBU&oh=00_AYASGWuzJZwbdu3vY_RYLacPizzuBEx9etAmBD4OURP9AA&oe=675EBA7D	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,629,558	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-12-10 18:50	active	1986		Holiday Giveaway Alert! 🎄✨ Give your pet the gift of calm this holiday season! We’re giving away our Calming Disks, designed to support your furry friend post-surgery or during everyday adventures. 🌿 With natural essential oils, these disks provide soothing comfort for up to 21 days—perfect for a stress-free season! To enter: 1️⃣ Follow us. 2️⃣ Like this post. 3️⃣ Tag a fellow pet parent in the comments! The winner will be announced Monday, December 16th!	VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/calmpaws_pets	Calm Paws	https://www.facebook.com/calmpaws/	26,736	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram profile	instagram.com	IMAGE		http://instagram.com/calmpaws_pets	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469928567_555031664181645_8772484486161226792_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=kgEv4MiuTdwQ7kNvgGcszTn&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AJ53UzAeCBE6jw0x8s_Ywax&oh=00_AYD_1oGhi-UfBZhDjhrIKVIYmZrV6o1F0eEgCv2vwU7OwQ&oe=675EB00F	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Calm Paws	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,630,281	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	Yes	2024-12-10 19:14	active	1986		🎄 CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY🎄 ☃️HO HO HO The holiday season is here, and we’re spreading the sparkle with a festive giveaway! Thank you so much for your kindness and support it means the world to me, and I truly appreciate everything you guys have done for me and my business!☃️ GIVEAWAY 1 - A free service of your choice GIVEAWAY 2 - 50% off your service To Enter: * Add this to your story (tag me so l don’t miss it) * Must follow me!@Tqxileenn_Beauty on instagram * Tag 3 friends or someone you think deserves a free treat in the comments below winner will be announced December 22th!	VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	http://instagram.com/tqxileenn_beauty	tqxileenn_beauty	https://www.instagram.com/_u/tqxileenn_beauty	0	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram profile	instagram.com	IMAGE		http://instagram.com/tqxileenn_beauty	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/454641839_471365925699421_7787189532489411073_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s206x206_tt6&_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=525117&_nc_ohc=m8y-84Iej1AQ7kNvgF7U4lN&_nc_zt=24&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&oh=00_AYDApH0mraHSd-6GUi4RU-mKNHh_RuJH8O3Pczt-NyjF4w&oe=675EA649	IG_ADS_IDENTITY	1	tqxileenn_beauty	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,634,576	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) '{"alias":2634555}'	Yes	2024-12-10 20:42	active	1989	😍Read the next chapters👉	At Grace Mansion, the lanterns in the corridors cast intricate shadows on the window frames, resembling beasts looming on the walls. Carissa Sinclair sat on a chair with her hands folded in her lap, her slender body hidden beneath plain clothes. She looked at the man before her—her husband whom she had spent a year waiting for. Barrett Warren was still wearing his slightly-worn battle armor. Standing under the dim light, he looked commanding and handsome. His face showed a mix of determination and a touch of regret. "Carissa, the king has issued a royal edict for this marriage. Aurora will be joining our household. There's no question about it," said Barrett. Carissa's eyes clouded with confusion. "The queen dowager has said that General Yates is a model for all women in the kingdom. Would she be willing to be a concubine?" Barrett's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance. "No, she won’t be a concubine. She’ll be my legal wife and equal to you." "Calling her that doesn't change anything. Ultimately, she’s really just a concubine in disguise," Carissa replied, remaining indifferent. Barrett frowned. "What does it matter? Aurora and I developed feelings for each other on the battlefield. We earned this marriage through our achievements. I don’t need your approval." Carissa smiled mockingly. "Developed feelings, huh? Do you remember what you said to me before you left for war?" On their wedding night a year ago, Barrett had left to lead reinforcements on an expedition. Before leaving, he had lifted his wife’s veil and promised her, "Carrisa Sinclair, you're the only woman I'll ever love in my life. I will never take a concubine!" Feeling awkward, Barrett turned away. "Forget what I said. When I married you, I didn’t understand love. I thought you were a suitable match for a wife until I met Rory." Talking about the woman he loved, his eyes softened and filled with deep affection. He turned back to Carissa and added, "She’s unlike any woman I’ve ever met. I love her deeply. I hope you'll agree to this." Carissa felt a lump in her throat. Despite feeling a mix of disgust and unwillingness, she still asked, "What about your parents? Do they agree?" "They do. It was a royal edict. Besides, Aurora is straightforward, cheerful, and lovable. She visited my mother a while ago." They agreed? Hah... How ironic! Everything Carissa had done over the past year had all been for nothing. "Is she currently in the mansion?" Carissa asked, lifting her brow. Barrett spoke of Aurora Yates with a softness in his voice, "Yes, she’s talking to my mother. She’s made her very happy. Even her health seems to be improving." "Improving?" Carissa felt a whirlwind of emotions. "When you went to war, your mother was seriously ill. I brought in the best physician to treat her. I managed the estate’s affairs by day and stayed up nights by her bedside. It was only because of this that her condition started to improve." Carissa wasn’t seeking praise. She was stating the facts of her exhausting year. "But seeing Aurora has made my mother feel even better," Barrett said earnestly. "I know this is unfair to you, but for the greater good, please support Aurora and me." Carissa pressed her lips into a thin line as she blinked away the tears in her eyes and sharpened her gaze. "Invite General Yates over. I have a few things to ask her." "There's no need for that. Carissa, she’s different from any woman you know. She’s a general, and she's above the usual household squabbles. She wouldn’t want to meet you," Barrett refused instantly. Carissa retorted, "What kind of women do I know? What kind of woman am I to you? Have you forgotten? I'm also the daughter of a noble family. My father and my six brothers died on the Southern Frontier three years ago-" "That’s them," Barrett interrupted. "But you're a delicate woman suited for the comforts of home. Aurora has no respect for such women. She’s straightforward and unrestrained. If she meets you, she might say things you won’t like. Why put yourself through that?" As Carissa looked up, the striking beauty mark under the corner of her eye became more evident in the light. She calmly said, "It’s fine. If she says anything unpleasant, I’ll ignore it. Understanding the bigger picture and acting with dignity are essential virtues for any matriarch. Don't you trust me?" Chapter 2 Barrett sighed in frustration. “Why put yourself through this? There was a royal edict for this marriage. Even when Aurora moves in, you’ll be in separate wings. She won’t compete with you for control of the household. She doesn’t care about those things.” “Do you really think I’m attached to managing this household?” Carissa countered. Running this mansion was no easy task. Just the monthly medicine for Barrett’s mother cost dozens of silver coins. Then, there was food, clothing, and social obligations—all these things required money. This household was practically a hollow shell. Over the past year, Carissa had used much of her dowry to keep things running. And this was her reward. “Enough, I won’t argue with you. I just needed to inform you. Whether you agree or not changes nothing,” said Barrett, his patience wearing thin. As Carissa watched him leave in a huff, she felt even more bitter. “My lady, my lord was too much!” said Lulu, Carissa’s maid, wiping her tears away. “Don’t call him that!” Carissa gave her a stern look. “We never consummated the marriage. He’s not your lord. Go fetch my dowry list.” “Why the dowry list?” Lulu asked, puzzled. Carissa tapped her on the forehead. “Silly girl, why would we stay in this house any longer?” Lulu held her forehead and gasped. “But your mother arranged this marriage, and your father wanted you to marry and have children.” Tears finally welled up in Carissa’s eyes at the mention of her parents. Her father had stayed loyal to her mother, never taking a concubine. They had six sons and one daughter. All her brothers followed her father to the battlefield. Three years ago, none returned from the Southern Frontier. Though she was a girl, Carissa came from a family of warriors and started training as a child. At the age of seven, she was sent to study under a master, where she also learned military strategy. When she returned home at fifteen, she learned her father and brothers had died a year earlier. Her mother, who had gone blind from crying too much, held Carissa close and said, "You must live like the noble girls in the kingdom. Find a good husband, marry, have children, and lead a peaceful life. You’re the only child I have left.” Carissa felt like someone had gouged her heart out. The pain she felt was so intense she couldn't even bring herself to cry. Determined to please her mother, she spent a year mastering the traditional values and duties expected of a noblewoman. She also learned accounting and how to manage a household. Not only was Carissa the Marquis of Northwatch's daughter, but she was also known for her beauty. So, suitors flooded their doorstep. Her mother had chosen Barrett because he had sworn he would never take another wife if he married Carissa. But six months ago, tragedy struck. All the residents of Northwatch Estate were murdered. No one was spared, not even the children or servants. Each victim suffered numerous knife wounds, and their bodies were brutally dismembered. Carissa’s youngest nephew had been only two and a half years old, born after the death of her third brother. The local authorities and garrison unit captured a few of the assailants. After further investigation, they were discovered to be spies from an enemy kingdom, Westhaven. The war at the front line was raging, yet these spies didn't hesitate to reveal themselves just to annihilate her family. The manner of the murder suggested it was more of a personal vengeance than anything else. When Carissa received the news, she rushed home, only to find her grandmother’s and mother’s gruesomely dismembered bodies. Blood stained every corner of the residence, and the dead were left in agonizing states. Now, Carissa was the lone survivor of the marquis' family. The idea of restoring her family’s former glory seemed impossible—at least to outsiders. They saw her merely as a delicate, fragile woman. However, Aurora was different. She had earned military merits for her contribution to the war and became the first female general in history. Even the queen dowager had high praise for her. With Aurora supporting Barrett, his future would be more secure. That was the reason the Warren family readily agreed to the marriage. Chapter 3 Lulu brought over the dowry list and explained, "This year alone, you've spent over six thousand silver coins to support the household. However, the shops, houses, and estates remain untouched. All the bank savings, along with the property deeds and land titles your mother left, are locked up in the chest." Carissa glanced at the list. "Alright." Just looking at the list put her in a melancholy mood. Her mother had given her such a substantial dowry, fearing she would suffer hardships in her husband's home. "My lady, where can we go? Are we returning to Northwatch Estate? Or should we go back to Meadow Ridge?" Lulu asked, looking distressed. Images of the bloodstained estate and the tragic deaths of her family members flashed through Carissa’s mind, causing a sudden pang of pain in her heart. "Anywhere is better than staying here." "If you leave, you’ll be giving them exactly what they want." "So be it. If I stay, I’ll spend my whole life suffering as I watch those two be affectionate. Lulu, I must live well to give my parents and brothers peace in the afterlife," Carissa replied calmly. "My lady!" Lulu wept bitterly. She had been born and raised in Northwatch Estate. The murder had claimed the lives of everyone, including her own family. The images still haunted her, and returning there seemed unthinkable. "Is there no other way?" Lulu asked desperately. Carissa’s eyes grew cold. "There is. I could confront the king and use my family’s achievements to force him to reverse his edict. If he refuses, I’ll take my own life in protest." Lulu was terrified and immediately protested, "My lady, you can't!" Carissa’s expression softened, and a sly smile appeared on her face. "Do you think I’m that silly? If I manage to reach the king, I’ll only request an edict for an amicable divorce." Barrett was able to marry Aurora because of a royal edict. So, Carissa should also be issued an official edict to leave. She shouldn't have to sneak away like she was being cast out. The wealth from Northwatch Estate was more than enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life. She wouldn't degrade herself unnecessarily. Just then, someone called from outside, "Madam Carissa, the matriarch has requested your presence!" "It’s Jade, Madam Rebecca's maid. It seems like Madam Rebecca wants to try and persuade you," Lulu whispered. Carissa straightened up, her expression serious. "Then, let’s go." The evening sun glowed like blood, and the autumn wind was chilly. The late king had bestowed the Warren family's current residence, Valor Estate, upon Barrett's grandfather. Though once prestigious, it had fallen into decline. Most of the Warren family's men were warriors who fought on battlefields. Only a few were civil servants who worked in the palace. Barrett’s father, Jonathan, didn’t fare well in his official career. His second uncle, Gregory, only held a minor post in the Royal Citadel. Barrett and his eldest brother, Benjamin, were somewhat successful in the military. But before their recent victory, they were only fourth-ranked majors. Both families still lived together in Valor Estate. Splitting the family would only hasten their decline. Accompanied by Lulu, Carissa arrived at Rebecca’s room. Rebecca's complexion looked a bit better, and she was sitting up in bed. She smiled warmly when she saw Carissa. "You’re here." Benjamin and his wife, Amelia Morgan, were also in the room. Barrett's sister, Serena, and the other children of the concubines were present as well. Barrett's second aunt, Charlotte Lewis, was also seated nearby. However, her expression was cold and somewhat disdainful. "Hello, Mother. Aunt Charlotte, Benjamin, Amelia," Carissa greeted them politely. "Carissa, come here." Rebecca gestured for her daughter-in-law to sit by her bedside. The older woman held Carissa's hand affectionately and happily said, "Now that Barrett is back, you have someone to rely on. This year has been so hard on you, especially with what happened to your family. You’re the only one left of the marquis' family. Fortunately, all of that is behind you now." Rebecca was shrewd. She made it clear that Carissa would need to depend on the Warren family in the future, since her family was gone. Carissa pulled her hand away and calmly said, "Mother, I heard you met General Yates today." Rebecca hadn’t expected Carissa to be so straightforward. Her smile froze for a moment before she replied, "Yes, I did. She’s rather rough around the edges and doesn’t compare to you in terms of looks." Carissa gazed at her mother-in-law steadily. "So, are you saying you don't like her?" Chapter 4 Rebecca forced a smile. "How can I decide that after meeting her only once? But since the king has arranged the marriage, it’s a done deal. In the future, she and Barrett will earn military merits together, while you manage the household and enjoy the benefits of their hard work. Isn’t that nice?" "Yes, I'm sure," Carissa replied with a smile. "But it’s quite unfair to make General Yates a concubine." Rebecca laughed. "You silly child, how could she be a concubine? The king’s edict makes her Barrett's legal wife. Also, she’s a military officer who holds an official rank. Officials can’t be concubines. She'll be a legal wife like you. There won't be any distinction between ranks for the two of you." "No distinction? Is there such a custom in our kingdom?" Carissa asked. Rebecca’s expression grew a bit colder. "Carissa, you’ve always been sensible. Now that you’ve married into our family, you should prioritize us. According to the Defense Minister, Aurora’s contributions in this battle were greater than Barrett’s. With you managing the household, they'll be able to work together as husband and wife and focus on their military service. In the future, they'll surely become famous generals like his grandfather." Carissa’s tone remained chilly as she said, "If they’re husband and wife, then I have no role here." "How can you say that? Aren’t you still in charge of the household?" countered Rebecca, displeased. "I only managed the household because Amelia was unwell. Now that she has recovered, she should resume her duties. I’ll go over the accounts tomorrow and hand everything back to her," Carissa replied. Amelia quickly interjected, "I’m still not fully recovered. Besides, everyone is satisfied with how you’ve been managing things. You should continue doing it." Carissa smiled mockingly. Everyone was satisfied because she had spent her own money to support them. Most of it went towards Rebecca’s medical expenses. Sebastian Dalton was a renowned physician, and his medicine was costly. Only a few could afford his services. Rebecca’s medicine cost over a hundred coins a month, amounting to more than a thousand coins a year. As for the other household expenses, Carissa occasionally subsidized them. For example, she would sometimes use fabrics and silks from her family’s business to make new clothes for everyone throughout the year. She didn’t mind it before, as she had really wished to spend her life with Barrett. However, circumstances had changed. She no longer wanted to be a fool. Carissa stood up and said, "That’s settled, then. I’ll hand over the accounts tomorrow and won’t be involved in household matters anymore." "Stop right there!" Rebecca's face darkened with anger. "Carissa, you’re being unreasonable. Men having multiple wives and concubines is normal. If you can't accept that, people will say you're narrow-minded and jealous." Carissa’s compliance over the past year had made the Warren family think she was easy to manipulate. They believed a few harsh words would always keep her in line. Carissa’s expression was calm, a stark contrast to her usual docility. "People can say whatever they want. I'm not concerned about their opinions." Rebecca was so angry that she struggled to breathe and coughed harshly for a long while. In the past, Carissa would have rushed to help her. She would pat the older woman's back and try to soothe her. But now, Carissa remained where she was. The soft evening light from the doorway highlighted her delicate, almost ethereal beauty. "Carissa, look how badly you've upset Mom," Serena said as she stepped forward. Her round, youthful face puffed with anger as she glared at Carissa. "This isn’t even about you. Do you think your family is still as prestigious as it once was? Your parents and brothers are gone; you're the only one left. Aren't you afraid that Barrett will divorce you if you keep putting on airs like you're a young lady from a prestigious family?" Carissa looked at her sister-in-law, who was dressed in a pale yellow outfit that Carissa had procured for her in early autumn. Now, wearing the clothes Carissa had provided, Serena dared to question her authority. How utterly… unsensible of her. "Take off that dress you’re wearing before you try to lecture me," Carissa said coolly. Serena’s cheeks flushed with anger. "I didn’t beg you to get this dress for me. You can have it back if you don’t want me to have it." "Fine. And don’t forget the jewelry you’re wearing. I expect it all to be returned to me." After Carissa said that, her gaze swept across the room. The only one who seemed pleased with the situation was Charlotte. Everyone else looked grim. "If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving." With that, Carissa turned and walked out decisively. Chapter 5 The Warren family members exchanged puzzled glances. None expected the usually agreeable Carissa to stand her ground so firmly this time. She even defied Rebecca, the matriarch of the family! “She’ll come around. She doesn’t have any other choice,” Rebecca said coldly. That was true. With Carissa's family gone, she had no one to rely on except the Warren family. Besides, she was still Barrett's rightful wife, and it wasn’t like she had been mistreated. - Early the next morning, Carissa and Lulu returned to Northwatch Estate. The estate was bleak and covered in fallen leaves. After just half a year of neglect, the courtyard was overgrown with weeds that were taller than a person. Stepping back into the estate, Carissa’s heart ached fiercely. Six months ago, she had collapsed upon hearing that her family had been murdered. She had wept when she saw the lifeless bodies of her grandmother and mother—their corpses cold and devoid of warmth. Every corner of the estate had been stained with blood. Memorial plaques for her ancestors and mother had been placed at the estate’s family chapel. Carissa and Lulu prepared flowers to place on the plaques, their tears unceasing. Carissa knelt before her parents’ memorials. Though her eyes were swollen from crying, they held a determined gaze. “Dad, Mom, if you can hear me from heaven, please forgive your daughter for what she is about to do. It’s not that I don’t want a peaceful life with a husband and children, but Barrett is not someone I can trust with my life. Rest assured, I promise Lulu and I will live well.” Lulu knelt beside her, sobbing uncontrollably. After they were done, they boarded a carriage and headed straight for the palace. It was noon by the time they arrived. Under the scorching autumn sun, Carissa and Lulu stood like statues in front of the palace gates. They waited for a full hour, but no one came to let them in. Lulu was distressed and said, “My lady, the king might not see you. Maybe he thinks you’re here to oppose his edict about the marriage. You didn’t eat last night or have breakfast today. Are you holding up okay? Should I go get you something to eat?” “I’m not hungry.” The only thing Carissa felt was the unwavering resolve to dissolve her marriage and return home. “Please don’t be so hard on yourself. It’s not worth getting sick over. Why don’t we just let it go? After all, you’re still the rightful wife and the lady of the Warren family. Even if General Yates is to be a legal wife, she’ll just be a glorified concubine at best. Maybe we should just endure it?” Lulu pleaded. Carissa’s gaze was cold. “Lulu, if you’re going to talk like that, don’t speak at all.” Lulu sighed, feeling lost and unsure of what else to do. She had hoped that once Barrett returned, Carissa would find some peace. But the situation had only worsened. - In the palace's study, Derek Walker had already reported Carissa’s arrival to the king three times. “Your Majesty, Mrs. Warren is still waiting outside the palace gates,” he repeated. The king, Salvador Quinton, set aside the document he was reading and rubbed his temples. “I can’t see her. The edict has been issued, and I can’t take it back. Tell her to go home.” “The guards tried to persuade her, but she refused to leave. She’s been standing there for over an hour without moving.” Salvador felt a pang of guilt. “Barrett requested the marriage as a reward for his military service. I didn’t want to agree, but not granting it would embarrass both him and General Yates. They have made significant contributions.” “If we speak of military achievements, the Marquis of Northwatch and General Sullivan’s contributions surpass all others,” Derek countered. Salvador remembered the Marquis of Northwatch, Hector Sinclair. When Salvador was a crown prince who had recently joined the military, it was Hector who had guided him. Carissa was a familiar face from those days, though she had been a delicate child. He still remembered her fair skin and endearing looks. Salvador had fought a bloody path to the throne, paved with death. He understood the struggles of military officers. When Barrett requested marriage as a reward, Salvador had hesitated but eventually agreed. Apart from his brother who was known as the Devil Monarch on the battlefield, the kingdom had no other capable generals. In the recent war with Westhaven, Dominic Sullivan’s third son had lost an arm. Dominic's seventh son had been murdered, though this had been kept secret. But Derek was right. In terms of military merit, Barrett and Aurora were far inferior to Hector. “Alright, let her in. If she agrees to this marriage, I’ll grant her whatever she wants. I'll even give her a noble title or an official rank,” said Salvador. Derek breathed a sigh of relief. “As always, you're wise, Your Majesty!” Chapter 6 Carissa knelt in the study with her head bowed. Salvador remembered the Sinclair family. Knowing that Carissa was now the only one left stirred a feeling of pity in him. "Rise and speak," he commanded. Carissa bowed deeply with her hands clasped. "Your Majesty, I know it's presumptuous of me to seek an audience today. But I also wish to implore for your grace." "I have already issued the edict. It's impossible to revoke it," Salvador said. Carissa shook her head gently. "Your Majesty, I implore you to issue another edict. I want to divorce General Warren." The young king was taken aback. "What? You want a divorce?" Salvador thought she had come to ask him to rescind the marriage edict. He never expected a plea for a divorce. Holding back tears, Carissa pleaded, "Your Majesty, General Warren and General Yates sought the marriage edict with their military achievements. "Today is the death anniversary of my father and brothers. I wish to seek an edict to divorce my husband based on my late family's military merits. Please, Your Majesty, I'm begging you." "Carissa, do you know what you'll face after the divorce?" Salvador asked, a complicated expression on his face. Carissa hadn't heard Salvador call her by name in a long time. When he was still the crown prince, he used to occasionally visit Northwatch Estate. He would always find some interesting little gifts to give her when he did. After Carissa later went to Meadow Ridge to study under her master, they never saw each other again. "I do," she affirmed. There was a hint of a smile on Carissa's stunning face. But no matter how one looked at it, the smile seemed tinged with irony. "I'm sure you know the saying that a true gentleman appreciates and helps others to fulfill their aspirations, right? Even though I'm not a gentleman, I don't want to hinder General Warren and General Yates from being together," Carissa added. "Carissa, there's no one left at Northwatch Estate. Are you really going to go back there? Have you thought about your future?" Salvador asked. "I returned to the estate today to visit my family's memorial plaques. Seeing how the estate has fallen into disrepair made me want to live there again. I'll adopt a son for my father's sake, so there will still be someone to honor his memory," Carissa explained. Salvador had thought she was being impulsive; he hadn't expected her to be so considerate. "You're Barrett's legal wife. Aurora can't undermine your position. You really don't need a divorce." Carissa looked up with tear-filled eyes that were firm with resolve. "Your Majesty, that's meaningless. I don't want to waste my life like this. I'm the only one left from the Marquis of Northwatch's' family. My father and brothers lived honorably and bravely throughout their lives. I don't want to settle for a life of mediocrity." "I know you have feelings for Barrett. Are you willing to let go?" Salvador asked. Feelings? Not really. Carissa simply admired military men, and her mother had wanted her to marry and lead a stable life. That was why she had agreed to the marriage. Carissa smiled. At this moment, she looked like a strong woman who would be able to flourish even in the most challenging circumstances. "If he can let go of me, then I can let go of him," she declared. Beneath her delicate appearance, she possessed an unyielding backbone. This stunned Salvador. He had never seen such a woman before. He felt a pang of confusion, remembering the carefree little girl who used to smile all day long. Now, she was married and soon to be abandoned. To the world, divorce still meant abandonment. This was especially true in Carissa’s situation, as Barrett had publicly sought the marriage edict. Being a woman was already difficult, and she would have it even harder. How would she negotiate future marriages? There was no one left in her family to do it for her. Thinking of this, Salvador recalled Hector's merits, especially how they had saved each other on the battlefield, and his heart softened towards Carissa. "Alright, I agree. You may leave now. In a few days, the edict of divorce will be sent to the general's residence," Salvador said. Carissa breathed a sigh of relief and bowed her head. "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" As Salvador watched her, he was suddenly reminded of when she was a little girl, and his heart softened further. "Carissa, if anyone mistreats you in the future, come to the palace and see me." "Thank you, Your Majesty!" Carissa bowed once again.	LEARN_MORE	https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13853&u	Random Reading	https://www.facebook.com/61559743679549/	321	1969-12-31 18:00	Learn More	shgjfh.com	DCO		https://shgjfh.com/market/goodnovel/1?lpid=13853&utm_campaign={{campaign.name}}&utm_content={{campaign.id}}&adset_name={{adset.name}}&adset_id={{adset.id}}&ad_id={{ad.id}}&ad_name={{ad.name}}&placement={{placement}}	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/462254547_546124237828312_865207145744070452_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=M4pgknQNQyUQ7kNvgEvn4dr&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=A1p3BetFz53PXAM66qUXG52&oh=00_AYCLjY86k0PC1sjtG2R-iO8BvSPrgEAou7U56x8hNLayUw&oe=675EB243	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Random Reading	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete
2,630,251	/src/Template/Ads/index.ctp (line 281) null	No	2024-12-10 19:13	active	1986		To our Texas followers & loyal @bucees fans, we have a special giveaway for you! We are giving away a $50 Bucees gift card. All you have to do to win is: 1. Follow our account 2. Like this post 3. Tag a friend you would take with you to buy snacks and our firewood @bucees You have until December 16th, so get started today! #greenmountainfire #stayfireside #sustainable #ecofriendly #sustainablefirewood #ecoconscious #sustainability #camplife #bucees #texas #buceestexas #buceesbeaver	VIEW_INSTAGRAM_PROFILE	https://www.instagram.com/_u/greenmountainfire	Green Mountain Fire	https://www.facebook.com/61569362065038/	14	1969-12-31 18:00	Visit Instagram profile	instagram.com	IMAGE		https://www.instagram.com/_u/greenmountainfire	1969-12-31 18:00	https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/469584903_1321478462604480_7865827342905939133_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s60x60_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=c53f8f&_nc_ohc=EdXU6ZvcvmYQ7kNvgH56r9A&_nc_zt=14&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&_nc_gid=AUpqC5CdSj8cFIqcz7pgKJA&oh=00_AYBi0cHE7d8iQK7uHnyqqioQDa2AfohUi8L4o02pC8Ztkg&oe=675E9A69	PERSON_PROFILE	0	Green Mountain Fire	1969-12-31 18:00	View Edit Delete

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