Hearing Wilfred's suggestion, Karina was stunned for a moment. After some careful thought, she shook her head. "No, I'd rather not." Now it was Wilfred's turn to be caught off guard.

"Switching back and forth isn't a solution. Looking back, I shouldn't have left in the first place. Were those people really capable of doing anything to me? Probably not. I just wanted to avoid trouble," Karina said slowly.

A person's family would have a way of shaping their personality, and Karina's upbringing with the Stone family had left her overly cautious-afraid of causing trouble or confronting conflict.

But now, after everything she'd been through, she wasn't scared anymore. Trouble was just trouble. She could handle it.

"I'll face whatever comes my way," she added. "If it's a challenge, I'll rise to it."

When she shared her thoughts, there was silence on the other end of the line. Worried she might have disappointed him, Karina hesitated. "Did I let you down?"

"No." Wilfred's quiet laugh came through, sounding lighter than before, almost tender. It carried the warmth of a spring breeze, soft and soothing.

"I'm proud of you for thinking this way," he said.

*

Karina was put to

Karina completed her

sent her a recommendation letter the very day of the test-even before her

astonished, he only replied, "It's not too soon. You'll need it

his confidence, which often surpassed

surprise subsided, she asked casually, "Have you been busy these

"What makes you ask?"

haven't called in a while," Karina admitted after

the same city, their frequent calls made it feel as

couldn't help but notice the

him the day

other end, she heard faint voices, as though Wilfred was speaking to someone. Not wanting to intrude, she waited quietly. When his voice returned, it was warm but noncommittal. "I

me what

it's a secret," he

anyone had seen her at that moment, her shock would have

budge. His skill at redirecting conversations was masterful so much so that Karina didn't even realize she had been sidetracked until after they hung up. Frustrated but amused, she

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