Alice’s heart warmed at his thoughtfulness. “You didn’t have to go through so much trouble. If you’re not home, I can just eat out.”“It’s no trouble at all,” Joseph said, waving her concern away. He finished his breakfast quickly and stood up. “Alright, I’m off.”“Drive safe,” Alice said, watching him as he rushed to leave.Joseph nodded, grabbed the breakfast he had prepared for Heidi, and headed out the door. Once he got into the car, he paused to send her a quick message on Facebook.“There’s an urgent matter at the university, so I’m heading there now. I left your breakfast in the car. Let me know when you get to campus.”He waited for a moment, but there was no reply. Heidi was probably still asleep.As he put his phone down, he noticed that his friend request list on Facebook had grown by another two hundred requests overnight, bringing the total to over five hundred. He had been too busy to deal with them yesterday, and it seemed he didn’t have time today either.“Where are al

"Mr. Harris, Professor Sanchez," Martin turned to them with a despairing look, "are you absolutely sure he can fix my hand?""Of course he can!" Sanchez declared with unwavering confidence. "I stake Mr. Harris’s reputation and integrity on it. Professor Wilson is undoubtedly one of the few people in our department capable of resolving your condition.""Why are you staking my reputation and integrity?" Harris shot Sanchez a look of disdain. "What’s wrong with using your own?""Your reputation and integrity hold more weight," Sanchez replied sheepishly, patting Harris on the shoulder with an awkward smile."Aaaghhh!" Another scream burst from Martin’s lips, his face contorted in pain."Joseph, you’re doing this on purpose!" he roared."Professor Martin," Joseph replied with a calm yet slightly exasperated tone, "I’ve told you repeatedly to stay quiet and cooperate. Do you want your hand treated or not? If not, I’m more than happy to leave it as is. It’s not like I have anything to lose.

"Professor Sanchez makes a fair point," Harris said with a chuckle, "but perhaps not entirely.""Mr. Harris, it seems you’ve noticed as well," Joseph said with a faint smile. "There’s definitely some personal grudge at play here. If he hadn’t provoked me, why would I go out of my way to provoke him?"He leaned back slightly, his tone casual but revealing. "The truth is, he’s one of my ex-wife’s admirers. Even though I’ve already divorced her, he still targets me in secret. Honestly, I can’t bring myself to treat someone like him with a friendly smile."Joseph paused, then added matter-of-factly, "And besides, $30,000 isn’t expensive—it’s a fair price."As the three of them talked, they entered Geoffrey Harris’s office. Harris poured them each a glass of water before sitting down."So, there’s some backstory here," Harris said, nodding in understanding."I didn’t expect Professor Wilson to have already been married at such a young age," Sanchez remarked, clearly surprised. "I thought y

"I do have a morning class," Rogers said, glancing at his watch. "It’s almost eight now. I’d better get going. Nova University starts its morning classes at 8:10." After bidding Joseph farewell, Rogers left in a hurry. "Professor Wilson," Felix Baker said, turning to Joseph with a smile, "you and Professor Mason are the youngest faculty members in the medical school. I’m sure you’ll find plenty to talk about! It’s a pity she’s not here today, but once she’s back, I’ll make sure to introduce you two." "Thank you, Professor Baker," Joseph replied with a polite smile. "No need to thank me. We’re all colleagues here, and we look out for one another. If you ever need help, don’t hesitate to ask. This old man will do whatever he can to assist," Baker said with a hearty laugh. Joseph thanked him again before tidying up his new desk. Once things were in order, he decided to head out to buy some office supplies. As he stepped outside, his phone buzzed. A notification from Alice had come

"That’s it?" Joseph probed."Well, there’s one more thing," Heidi said, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. "I usually get terrible cramps when my period starts. Last night, it came like clockwork after I went to bed, but this morning I realized—no pain at all. Honestly, it’s kind of amazing. Normally, I’d be tossing and turning all night, unable to sleep from the discomfort."She stole a shy glance at Joseph as she spoke, her face growing redder. Talking about something so personal with a man made her feel both embarrassed and oddly exhilarated. She had never shared such intimate details with anyone before, let alone a man."Give me your hand. Let me check your pulse," Joseph said calmly.Heidi obediently extended her left hand, resting it on the table. Joseph placed his fingers on her wrist, his expression serious as he felt for her pulse. Heidi couldn’t help but sneak a glance at him. In that moment, the way he focused so intently on his task gave him a magnetic quality. She f