hapter 63

    bChapter /bb63 /b

    ? ??? 34%

    Several ck luxury cars sped toward the city’s main hospital. Inside one of them, Andrian sat tensely beside the unconscious Bianca. Her usually confident face was now deathly pale, partially wrapped in temporary bandages to stop the bleeding.

    Andrian tightly held Bianca’s cold fingers, unable to hide the anxiety etched across his face. Repeatedly, he urged the driver to speed up.

    Upon arrival, the medical team rushed to meet them at the emergency entrance. Bianca was quickly transferred onto a stretcher and wheeled into the emergency room. Andrian followed silently, his eyes never leaving Bianca’s motionless figure.

    28

    After Bianca was taken into the treatment room, Andrian stood alone in the hospital hallway. A storm of worry and anger swirled in his mind. He clutched his phone, trying to get updates from Elric, who was still tracking the assant–but no meaningful news had arrived yet.

    Shortly after, the doctor in charge emerged with a serious expression. Andrian immediately stepped forward.

    “How is she?” he asked, his voice heavy with concern.

    The doctor sighed before responding in a grave tone. “Miss Bianca suffered serious injuries, especially to her face and shoulder. We’ve stopped the bleeding, but the facial wounds will likely leave permanent scars that may be difficult to conceal. Moreover, she appears to be suffering from significant psychological trauma.”

    Andrian froze, jaw clenched tightly. A wave of guilt crept over him.

    “Can I see her now?”

    The doctor nodded gently. “You may, but she’s still unconscious. Please try to remain calm–Miss Bianca needs all the support she can get during this critical stage.”

    “Thank you, Doctor,” Andrian replied briefly.

    He entered the room slowly, stopping beside the hospital bed. Bianca’s face was wrapped in white gauze. Andrian gently took her limp hand, his grip soft yet full of remorse.

    In a low whisper, he said, “I promise I’ll find the one who did this to you. They will pay dearly.”

    He inhaled deeply, trying to calm his rage. In his heart, he swore to uncover the truth behind the brutal attack and deliver justice with his own hands.

    Meanwhile, inside a luxury Velor family car, Elena pretended to sleep, curled up slightly against the seat. On the ride back to the Velor mansion, she kept her eyes closed to avoid conversation with Nathan.

    Behind her feigned rest, her thoughts raced with unease. What unsettled her most was Nathan’s calm demeanor–he hadn’t said a single word the whole trip, despite his earlier anxiety over Aliana’s feigned illness.

    21:02 Fri, 29 Aug

    34%

    Even stranger, Nathan hadn’t questioned Elena’s sudden appearance, though she hadn’t been with the group earlier. He acted entirely indifferent.

    When the car stopped in front of the mansion, Elena exited gracefully in character as Aliana. Nathan remained silent,

    absorbed in his tablet.

    Though she should’ve felt relieved not having to exin herself, Nathan’s silence made her uneasy. It felt like he knew something–but chose to keep it to himself.

    Not wanting to dwell on it, Elena headed for the pavilion and slipped inside without looking back.

    Once in Aliana’s room, she shut the door tightly and copsed onto the floor, overwhelmed with relief and lingering anxiety. Taking a deep breath, she quickly texted Aliana.

    “Miss, I’ve arrived home. How are you? Please update me soon.”

    No reply came immediately. Her worry deepened, but soon, a notification popped up:

    “I’m on my way home. Don’t worry.”

    Elena sighed in relief. Her heartbeat began to settle.

    28)

    Meanwhile, at the back of the Velor mansion, Aliana had just gotten off Rafe’s motorcycle. She quickly changed out of the clothes Elena had worn, then reapplied her wig and colored contact lenses.

    After tidying her appearance, she slipped in through the back–using the secret path she’d once taken to sneak out.

    Cautiously, Aliana walked quickly with her head lowered, avoiding detection as her makeup had worn off. Thankfully, she

    made it inside without being seen.

    But she didn’t realize that someone was watching from a mansion window. Sharp eyes tracked her every move, noting her haste and secrecy. The observer’s lips curved into a knowing smile.

    “So, you really did use the path I showed you,” they murmured, sipping wine “Interesting.”

    The smile widened–satisfaction glinting in their gaze. They had uncovered Aliana’s secret–and clearly intended to enjoy olliit. /li/ol

    Elsewhere, in a quiet house, a shadow crept silently through a cracked window. Light–footed and cautious, the figure made its way to a lit study.

    Inside, an elderly man hunched over a desk piled with dusty books, frantically flipping pages. So focused was he that he failed to notice the ck figure now standing tall before him.

    “I should never have forgotten you,” a cold whisper shattered the silence.

    Startled, the old man looked up, eyes wide with shock. He recoiled, dragging his chair back.

    21:02 Fri, 29 Aug

    “W–who are you?” he croaked, voice trembling.

    The figure didn’t respond–only offered a faint smile behind the mask. Without hesitation, the gloved hand pulled out a pistol and aimed it directly at the old man’s head.

    The old man’s eyes widened instantly, shocked to see the faintly gleaming silver bracelet on the wrist of the mysterious figure standing before him.

    “Y–you-”

    His confused expression quickly shifted to one of utter shock and fear. His breath became ragged as terror consumed his entire body in mere seconds.

    “Wh–what do you want?” the old man asked with trembling lips, his eyes still locked on the silver bracelet ion /iNyx’s wrist.

    Nyx tilted her head slightly, offering a cold smile before speaking in a low, intimidating voice.

    “What is it exactly that you’re looking for, old man?”

    The old man’s fear deepened. He clearly recognized the silver bracelet and now knew exactly who was behind the mask.

    “You-”

    Before he could finish his sentence, Nyx cut him off sharply.

    “What have you told Andrian Velor?”

    The old man began to tremble violently, rushing to exin in a panic.

    “I–I haven’t told him anything! Lord Velor dide here earlier today, asking about the bracelet I once made. But I truly didn’t remember and asked him to give me some time to look into it.”

    Nyx gave a cynical smile at the exnation.

    “So, Andrian knows nothing about this bracelet?”

    The old man nodded quickly, terrified. “No, nothing! I swear I haven’t said a word to him!”

    The smile on Nyx’s face gradually faded. Her gaze sharpened, turning cold and merciless. She stepped forward and asked softly,

    “But now… you know who I am, don’t you?”

    The old man looked at Nyx with shaking eyes, stammering as he began, “M–mi-”

    BANG!

    Before he could finish his sentence, Nyx pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the old man directly in the head. His body slumped backward, head drooping lifelessly as fresh blood pooled across the floor, staining the old books scattered

    around him.

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    34%

    Nyx’s face remained nk and emotionless, as if what had just urred meant nothing to her. She stepped toward the desk cluttered with books, picked up thest one the old man had opened, and calmly tore out the opened page. She folded it neatly and slipped it into the pocket of her ck jacket.

    With swift, quiet steps, she turned and exited the room, leaving no trace behind–only silence and the lifeless body of the old man in its chilling stillness.

    田