2025-03-29 01:04:06Joaquin's grip on the steering wheel was tight, his knuckles turning white as he sped through the dark streets.
He barely registered the honks of other cars or the stoplights he recklessly ran. His mind was solely on one thing—Mikyla.
He replayed her panicked voice, the fear laced in her words, the muffled struggle he had heard before the call abruptly ended. Damn it!
Please, come get me!
Something about the way she had said it made his chest tighten. She had been terrified.
Joaquin hated Mikyla for many things—for how she played with his emotions, for how she tossed him aside whenever it suited her, for how she only ever seemed to come back when she needed something.
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 161: We're Done
Joaquin parked in front of Mikyla’s apartment, his grip tightening around the steering wheel for a moment before he exhaled and got out.He walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and helped Mikyla out. She was still trembling, clinging to his jacket as if it were the only thing keeping her together.They entered the apartment in silence.Inside, the space was dimly lit, warm yet eerily quiet. Joaquin guided Mikyla toward the couch, where she curled up, still wearing his jacket over her thin dress.Joaquin’s gaze softened.“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice quieter than usual.Mikyla looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes and nodded weak
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 162: Love
Joaquin still couldn’t believe what Mikyla had done. He didn’t regret helping her, but he never expected that from her.She tried to throw herself at him.But why?First of all, they had been over for a long time. Second, she had cheated on him just to be with Andrew.So why was she acting like this now?Joaquin pulled his car to a stop in front of his sister’s apartment. He figured he’d return Serena’s car tomorrow since it was already so late.But as soon as he stepped inside, he was surprised to see Serena sitting in the living room, talking to Jasmine. Both women turned to look at him at the same time.
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 163: A Warning
James Villareal sat stiffly in his chair, gripping his phone tightly as he listened to his mother’s anxious voice on the other end of the line."Your father met with Joaquin Lopez," Gracia Villareal said, her voice laced with worry.James’s jaw tightened."Are you sure?" he asked."Yes!" Gracia confirmed. "I had one of our people follow Javier today. He met with that boy for nearly an hour."James leaned back in his chair, exhaling sharply through his nose. His grip on his phone tightened."What did they talk about?""I don’t know," his mother admitted, frustration creeping into her tone. "But James, this is dangerous
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 164: Accusations
The hospital felt different today.Joaquin had barely stepped inside when he noticed it—subtle at first, but unmistakable.The shift in the air, the way people turned to look at him, their eyes filled with something he couldn’t quite place at first.It wasn’t curiosity.It wasn’t admiration or even the usual indifference of a busy hospital.No. It was disgust.Whispers followed him as he walked down the hall. Soft, hushed words spoken just low enough that he couldn’t hear them completely—but he caught pieces."Did you hear?""I can’t believe it!"
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 165: Disgusted
Joaquin stepped out of the administrative office, the weight of the accusation pressing down on his shoulders. His mind was spinning, trying to process everything.Mikyla had filed a complaint against him. She had twisted the truth, turned the story around, and painted him as the villain.But why?He didn’t understand. Was it revenge? Was she trying to destroy him because he had rejected her?Joaquin clenched his fists, his jaw tightening.He needed to talk to her.Find her.Fix this before it got even worse.His steps were quick as he moved through the hospital hallways, ignoring the
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 166: Girlfriend's Assurance
Joaquin pushed forward, determined to find Serena. He needed to talk to her—to explain everything before she heard it from someone else.But she was nowhere to be found.He checked the nurses’ station. Nothing.The doctors’ lounge. Empty.He even walked by the ER, hoping she’d be in the middle of a late shift.Still, no sign of her.His fingers tightened around his phone as he dialed her number.One ring.Two.Three.Voicemail.Joa
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 167: Taken
The morning was supposed to be like any other.Joaquin woke up early, moving through his usual routine—shower, coffee, grabbing his keys from the counter.But before he could step out the door, a heavy knock echoed through the apartment.It wasn’t the casual knock of a neighbor.It was firm. Purposeful.A sound that made his stomach drop.Joaquin opened the door.Two uniformed police officers stood there, their expressions unreadable."Dr. Joaquin Lopez?" one of them asked.Joaquin felt his pulse quicken, but he kept his face neutral
The Doctor's Reckoning Chapter 168: A Father's Help
Jasmine stood in front of the Villarreal estate once again, her fingers curling into fists at her sides.The last time she had been here, she had walked away with nothing but frustration. But today wasn’t about her.Today was about Joaquin.Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and walked through the grand iron gates.The guards hesitated at first, recognizing her, but when she gave them a firm look, they let her through without protest.Her heart pounded in her chest as she approached the entrance.This was the last place she wanted to be.But if she had to swallow her pride to save her brother, then so be it.
Latest Chapter
Chapter 203: New Master
The next morning came faster than expected.Joaquin was up before the sun, already dressed in his formal clothes for the inauguration. His body still ached, but the pain had dulled, manageable now.Miguel greeted him in the foyer, dressed in a tailored black suit.“You look like hell,” Miguel said with a grin.Joaquin chuckled. “Thanks.”“But don’t worry. That’s what makes you intimidating.” Miguel tossed him a sleek silver pin shaped like a tiger. “Wear that. It marks you as a finalist.”Joaquin clipped it onto his lapel. “So, where’s this person I’m supposed to meet?”
Chapter 202: Celebration
Joaquin stood frozen in the doorway.He blinked once, twice, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.There was Serena, smiling brightly despite the dark circles under her eyes.Beside her was Jasmine, holding one end of a long banner that read “Congratulations, Joaquin!” in bold, silver letters.The cake Serena was holding wobbled slightly in her hands, the tiny candle on top flickering from the breeze of the open door.Joaquin’s heart thudded in his chest, a strange warmth blooming in the center of his ribcage. He hadn’t realized just how much he needed this. Needed her.“Surprise!
Chapter 201: Aftermath
Joaquin didn’t know how long he had been lying in bed, staring at the ceiling of the room where he was resting.His match had ended a while ago, but he still hadn’t stepped out.His body was still in pain. His wounds stung.But he simply endured it all.What occupied his mind more was Lina.The way she took his ring—and the way her appearance changed.That’s when he remembered the files Rick once showed him. And only now did it truly hit him: Lina was one of the Black Viper Society’s experiments.That explained her sudden transformation, how she became… almost feline.
Chapter 200: The Ring’s Reckoning
The sting of blood in his mouth was sharp.Metallic.Familiar.But it was the pressure in his gut—the searing pain of Lina's clawed hand still warm from piercing him—that blurred the edges of Joaquin’s vision.He couldn’t move.Not right away.His body was frozen from shock, heat and cold dancing across his spine like a cruel joke.He gasped for air, lips trembling, eyes barely holding onto the sight of Lina’s triumphant smirk.“Thanks for surrendering the ring to me,” she whispered again, her voice soaked in vict
Chapter 199: The Final battle 1
The arena was silent.Joaquin couldn’t deny the nerves coiling in his stomach as he stood at the edge, preparing for his final match.He had triumphed in his last two battles. But even before this one began, he knew—it was going to be hard.Not because his opponent was powerful.But because once again, he would be facing her—Lina.The same girl who had stolen his ring.To this day, she hadn’t given him a single reason why.He used to think he didn’t want to know. But when he saw her fight, he realized—there was som
Chapter 198: Shadows and Sparks
After his earlier match, Joaquin chose to stay in the room for a while longer, waiting for the call to his next battle.Outside, the muffled cheers of the crowd echoed through the concrete walls—constant, rhythmic waves of energy that reminded him: the war was far from over.He shut his eyes for a moment and let the ambient noise fade into the background.Then came a soft knock.A young attendant peeked in, eyes wide with a mixture of excitement and nerves. “Mr. Lopez, the next round’s schedule has been posted. Your match is in two hours.”Joaquin gave a small nod, offering a faint but polite smile. “Thank you.”As the door clicked shut, he stoo
Chapter 197: The First Clash
Joaquin woke up early the next day, readying himself for his first match. Stage Two of the competition had officially begun.He was already inside the waiting room, silently preparing as he waited for his turn. From where he sat, he could hear the roar of the crowd echoing from the arena. There were a few matches scheduled before his, which gave him time—but not peace.The arena was vast—an expanse of polished concrete with high ceilings that amplified every sound. Bright lights bathed the place in a sterile glow, casting long shadows that danced with every movement. Rows upon rows of seats circled the central platform, where the fighters for Stage Two were beginning to prove themselv
Chapter 196: The Last 50
Joaquin adjusted the collar of his coat as he stood outside the grand venue, staring up at the towering building before him. The banquet for the fifty remaining contenders of the Blue Tiger Ranking Competition was being held at a luxury estate—one reserved for elite sponsors and facilitators. Nothing about this place felt casual. Every inch screamed prestige, wealth, and quiet pressure.He wasn’t nervous. But he wasn’t calm, either.For the past two days, he had trained relentlessly at the Suarez estate—throwing punches, dodging blows, simulating combat over and over again with Rick and Cedrick. He barely slept. Barely ate. Not because of the competition—
Chapter 195: A Celebration
After the announcement, Joaquin returned to the Suarez estate. He decided to spend the next three days there to prepare for the upcoming stage. He was already thinking of a plan—how to get his ring back.“Well, congratulations to you, Joaquin! I knew you'd make it,” Miguel said, beaming. He sounded like a proud father celebrating his son’s success.He raised his wine glass.Joaquin gave a small smile and toasted with him.As a celebration of his victory, Miguel had prepared a dinner.Rick and Cedrick were also there to join them.Miguel sat at the center of the long dining table. His son sat to his right, while Joaquin sat to his left.
