Chapter 166 Uninvited Guests and Silent Homes

Eliza nearly choked on her own breath when she heard Nn’s words.

When had she ever agreed to live at his ce?

But Nn clearly wasn’t asking for permission. He simply pressed down on the gas, running a red light even though he clearly saw iting.

“Nn-” Eliza paled.

He suddenly mmed on the brakes, pulling over to the curb on an empty road.

It waste. The streets were deserted.

Then, without warning, Nn turned toward her, cupping her face in both hands.

Startled, Eliza found herself forced to meet his gaze—an intense mix of panic and concern burning in his

eyes.

“Why weren’t you more careful?”

“I…”

“If I hadn’t made the right guess–if I hadn’t gotten there in time–do you know what would’ve happened to you?”

He couldn’t even let himself picture it.

Had he arrived a momentter, had he not followed the hunch sparked by her vague text, Grace would’ve made sure Eliza never left that house alive.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t expect her to actually go that far,” Eliza said softly, sincere and shaken.

She truly hadn’t seen iting. Not to that extent.

Nn looked at her for a long moment before finally letting go of her face and ncing away.

“Stay at my ce for now. It’s safer.”

“…Are you sure? Do you live alone? I don’t want to intrude.”

Eliza already knew returning to her own apartment would be dangerous. Nn’s ce iwas /ithe safest option.

But she’d never been there before.

“Yes. I live alone. No one else bis /bthere.”

Eliza let out a quiet breath of relief.

“… You sound like I’m scared of your family or something.”

Finished

Chapter 166 Uninvited Guests and Silent Homes

“You are, aren’t you?” he replied bluntly.

I’m just not used to meeting eldersb,/bb” /bshe admitted.

Maybe it was because the Rivers family had always overlooked her. Deep down, she was still uneasy around older people.

“There’s no one to meet,” Nn said quietly. “I don’t have any family.”

Eliza’s lips pressed together.

Right. She should’ve known.

Nn’s family had all died years ago–by his own hand.

The car stopped in front of a vi.

It looked cold and unweing, more like a show home than somewhere people actually lived. Despite being in a residential neighborhood, the ce was so quiet it felt abandoned. Even the lights were off.

Nn drove into the garage and activated the elevator.

Eliza followed behind him silently.

Upstairs, the house was just as she imagined–spotless, bare, and eerily sterile. Like it had been furnished but never lived in.

“There’s a room upstairs. I’ll take you there in a bit.”

“…Why in a bit?”

Before she could finish the question, she noticed Nn retrieving a medical kit from the living room

cab.

“I’m going to change your dressing.”

“No need, the doctor at the hospital just did-”

“Sit.”

He didn’t leave room for argument.

Eliza sat down obediently as Nn began organizing antisepticsb, /bgauze, and tape with practiced hands.

“If I’d known you had all this here, I wouldn’t have bothered going to the hospital.”

bShe /bmeant it bas /ba joke.

But when she nced up, she met Nn’s expressionless stareb–/bone that bclearly /bsaid: iDo /iI look like I’m in ithe /imood ifor /ijokesi? /i

Chapter 166 Uninvited Guests and Silent Homes

She bwisely /bshut her mouth.

Finished

“The wound isn’t too deep. The hospital treated it, but you still need to redress it regrly. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise what?”

“… Otherwise it’s going to hurt. A lot. Especially when removing the bandages.”

And as soon as he finished saying that, he peeled off the gauze.

Eliza sucked in a sharp breath from the sting.

Seeing her face go pale, Nn’s hand paused.

“I’ll be gentler.”

“You could’ve said that before you tore it off.”

“…Sorry.”

He truly was trying not to hurt her. Once the re–bandaging was done, he began putting the kit away.

Then he asked, “Who did you give your address to?”

Eliza thought for a moment. “Tyson came by oncei, /ibut I never actually gave him the address. Then there’s Henry, Colton, and Lewis. Oh, and… my mom and Naomi showed up tonight too, but I don’t know who told them where I lived.”

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