Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)

Agnes hung her head low, she knew there was no way she could convince Jared right now.

With a sigh, Agnes finally spoke up, "Suit yourself, but just a heads up, Ryder's not the same guy he used to be; he won't pull any punches."

Agnes didn't say this lightly. She remembered the time at the Thomas Medical Center.

Ryder had undergone surgery during that half-month span.

All the while, Agnes had stayed by his side at the hospital, attending to his needs.

During that period, Ryder had begun to plot.

Business strategies were not Agnes' forte, but she understood Ryder's endgame.

And he hadn't even tried to hide it from her.

Agnes could see the shift in Ryder's mindset, now unmasked and clear for all to see.

He was driven to prove himself, to show that he was every bit Jared's equal.

In the end, it was a sort of obsession, wasn't it?

Jared retorted, "If that's the case, isn't it exactly what you wanted?"

Every word Jared uttered was laced with an edge.

Agnes had no desire to continue the conversation. After all, she wasn't well-versed in corporate affairs. And if she could see through it all, there was no reason Jared couldn't.

But Jared left that afternoon.

Agnes wasn't sure if he'd returned to Willowbrook Town, or maybe he went to see Valeria.

His departure slightly eased the tension that Agnes had been carrying.

Yet, there was an undeniable sense of emptiness lingering in her heart.

After a few days in the Capital, Agnes knew she couldn't stay away any longer.

The treatment with Nocturne showed no signs of improvement.

His sleeping spells were long but, thankfully, his spirits were high upon waking.

With Esther by his side, Agnes worried less.

Before long, Agnes was back in Willowbrook Town.

Her first stop was the TV station.

Just as she arrived at the office, Ramona and Ben came over.

Ben asked with genuine concern, "Agnes, are you alright? Have you fully recovered?"

Agnes nodded, "I'm really okay now."

Ramona chimed in, "Boss, the station manager wants to see you right after you settle in. Our coverage of the Bronzetown earthquake was so impactful, we've practically become the official media outlet-even the government handed us commendations. Looks like the boss is eyeing a promotion for you."

Agnes smiled. After a quick freshening up, she headed to the station manager's office.

Standing at the door, Agnes knocked.

Inside, the manager was on a call but looked up at the sound of the knock.

Upon seeing Agnes, he quickly ended the call.

A warm smile spread across his face, "Ah, Agnes, come on in, come in!"

Agnes walked in, and to her surprise, the station manager got up and personally poured her a cup of coffee.

"What's up, boss? You needed to see me?" Agnes inquired.

The manager beamed, "Agnes, your coverage of the Bronzetown earthquake was stellar. It's had a tremendous impact, and now our station is setting the standard for domestic media. That's all thanks to you." Agnes humbly replied, "It wasn't just me. We were a team out there, and everyone worked their tails off."

"Of course, of course," the manager assured. "Rest easy, Ben, Hans and others, the station will certainly take good care of them."

After wrapping up the conversation about the earthquake coverage.

Agnes interjected, "If there's nothing else, I should get back to work."

The manager hesitated, then added, "Actually, Agnes, there's one more thing."

Agnes looked puzzled, "What is it?"