She heard some movements, curious, she quietly stood up from her bed and traced the footsteps. She traced it outside the house.It was MariaKaren’s breath caught in her throat. What was Maria doing outside at this hour? She squinted, trying to make out the details, but the shadows concealed Maria's actions. All Karen could see was Maria pacing back and forth, her silhouette was sharp against the faint glow of the moon.Unable to shake the uneasy feeling that something was wrong, Karen opened the door and stepped outside. The cool night air greeted her, sharp and biting against her skin. Maria was still there, standing a few feet away, her back turned to Karen. For a moment, Karen considered retreating, but then Maria moved, as if sensing her presence, and turned around.“Maria?” Karen called softly, her voice trembling slightly.Maria jumped, startled, and quickly tried to compose herself. “Karen… I didn’t expect you to be up.”“What are you doing out here?” Karen asked, trying to ke
Karen emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a thick, white towel. The cool air of the bedroom touched her damp skin, sending a slight shiver down her spine. Her movements were down and slow, she wore her nighties and went to the bed where her husband, Nicholas, was busy reading a script. His deep-set eyes, once focused on the pages, shifted toward her as she approached, instantly catching the troubled expression on her face.Nicholas set the script aside and reached out a hand. "Karen, what's wrong?" His voice was comforting, carrying with it a weight of concern that made Karen's heart clench.Karen sat down beside him on the edge of the bed, her fingers nervously toying with the hem of the towel. She was quiet for a moment, as if trying to find the right words to express what was bothering her. Finally, she sighed and leaned into him, the warmth of his body offering a fleeting comfort. "I just… I don't feel right about the new babysitter."Nicholas frowned slightly, his hand moving t
A week later, Naomi sat in the waiting room of the prestigious plastic surgery clinic in Seoul, South Korea, flipping through a magazine. She had been planning this moment for some time, saving up every penny to transform her appearance.Finally, her name was called, and she stood up, smoothing out her clothes. The surgeon, Dr. Lee, greeted her warmly and led her to the consultation room."So, Naomi, what can I do for you today?" Dr. Lee asked, looking at her with a critical eye.Naomi took a deep breath. "I want a complete makeover. New face, new body. I want to be unrecognizable."Dr. Lee raised an eyebrow. "That's quite a drastic change. Are you sure you're ready for this?"Naomi nodded. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."The surgery took hours, but Naomi didn't flinch. She was determined to erase her old self and start anew.Weeks later, Naomi stood in front of the mirror, gazing at her new reflection. She barely recognized the person staring back at her. Her eyes
“What are you gaining by this?” Naomi flared at him.“Me? Nothing.” He jested.“So free me!” “No”“For what reason”“Naomi, I chased you down to earth, i had been looking for you now, you know after you got my dad killed.” He said, pacing round the room.“I did not do anything to your dad.” “That man that released you killed him for you to be totally free.” “That's not true, Kim Orme would never!” “Okay.” He shrugged, took a whip and flogged Naomi.Naomi screamed in pain on each beat.David's anger and resentment towards Naomi had been simmering for weeks, ever since his father's dismissal from the company. He blamed Naomi for the downfall, convinced that her presence had brought bad luck. With a whip in hand, David flogged Naomi mercilessly, the lashes cutting deep into her skin. She cried out in agony, pleading for mercy, but David was unforgiving. He locked her in a cold, damp room, leaving her to suffer on the cold bare hard floor.Days passed, and He returned to Naomi's pris
Naomi wandered aimlessly through the city streets, her mind racing with thoughts of the argument she had with Joe. The neon lights of the city blurred as tears filled her eyes, making it hard to see where she was going. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to push the sadness away, but it was no use. She had been walking for hours, and it was now late into the night. The streets were nearly empty, cars were passing. Naomi wrapped her arms around herself, trying to fend off the chill that had settled in her bones. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to. The thought of going back to Joe crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. She couldn’t face him, not after what had happened.Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. She found a bench on the side of the road and sat down, chewing her lip in frustration. She dug into her bag and pulled out a piece of gum, chewing it absentmindedly as she tried to figure out what to do
The morning sun filtered through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow over the room. Joe stood at the gas cooker preparing breakfast. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the aroma of bacon and eggs. As he flipped the pancakes, he glanced over his shoulder at Naomi, who was sitting at the kitchen table, staring absently at the wall. Her face was pale, and dark circles under her eyes spoke of a restless night. She had been acting strangely ever since yesterday incident with the water, and Joe was worried about her."Breakfast is ready," Joe said, trying to sound cheerful as he brought the plates to the table.Naomi looked up and managed a weak smile. "It smells good, Joe. Thank you."They sat down to eat, the clinking of cutlery and the occasional sip of tea were the only sounds breaking the silence. Joe watched Naomi carefully, something felt off about her."Naomi, I've been thinking..." Joe began, choosing his words carefully. "Maybe we should visit the hospital today.
Naomi lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts with a mix of boredom and curiosity. She sighed, stretching her legs and fanning herself with an old magazine. Suddenly, her phone buzzed, and she glanced over to see the familiar notification: the system had a new challenge for her.“Does the system now contact me through my phone?” She beamed.The screen appeared.“Another task loading,.” The system said.She sat up eagerly, her eyes widening. "What do you want me to do?" she asked aloud.“Drink 20 liters of water, and..”Before the message could finish, Naomi was already off the bed, bolting out of her room. The challenge seemed absurd, but the reward was too tempting to ignore. She headed straight to the kitchen, grabbing the nearest jug of water and began to gulp it down.Joe was sitting at the dining table, deeply engrossed in his work on his laptop. He looked up, puzzled, as Naomi barged in, drinking water.He saw a jug, kettle, and keg in her hands."What's wrong with
Naomi sat in the bank lobby, her fingers drumming lightly on the cool marble armrest of the chair. The soft hum of conversations, the quiet rustling of papers, and the occasional clink of coins being counted filled the air. She was in the midst of contemplating what to do with the money she had just received from the system. The amount was huge, she didn't take the system serious, she was glad that she did skip.Apart from the money, she felt like her body was stronger since the skip.She thought about the immediate needs first.“A new bank card” She lost her old one in the water. With a determined nod, Naomi approached the counter. "Hello, I'd like to get a new bank card, please," she said to the teller, a young woman with a bright smile and a name tag that read 'Lila.'"Of course, Ms. Naomi," Lila replied, typing swiftly into her computer. "We'll have that ready for you in just a moment."As she waited, Naomi's thoughts drifted to other needs. She badly needed a phone. She waited
Naomi wandered in the market, Stalls overflowed with vibrant fruits and vegetables. The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, mingling with the scent of exotic spices."Fresh oranges! Get your fresh oranges here!" a seller called out, his voice rising.Naomi paused, examining the oranges. They were plump and juicy, promising a burst of sweetness. She reached into her pocket, feeling the meager coins she had left. With a sigh, she realized she didn't have any to buy this fruit.As she turned away, her gaze fell upon a man struggling with a large crate. He looked up, catching her eye, and smiled."Could you lend me a hand?" he asked, his voice warm and friendly.Naomi nodded, stepping forward to help. Together, they lifted the crate into a truck."Thank you," he said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "My name is Joe, by the way."“Why is he telling me his name, did I ask him” Naomi said within."Naomi," she replied, faking a smile."Naomi, you look like you could use a bre
Jolie Kim
Here is another system - urban book with suspense and mystery. I wondered if Sophia will ever come back to Nicholas?