Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 30 Vouchers Rafe drove faster, glancing occasionally at the rearview mirror and scanning the area. He was looking for a clinic where he could get Aliana treated. Aliana's pale face made Rafe even more anxious. The car sped through the increasingly deserted city streets. The clock showed . "Just a little longer, Miss," Rafe murmured. A few minutes later, the car stopped in front of a small clinic on the city outskirts. A "Closed" sign hung on the door but th lights inside still glowed dimly. Without wasting time, Rafe got out and moved to the passenger side. Aliana could barely stand on her own. Her black dress was soaked in blood on her right shoulder. Rafe opened the trunk, pulling out a dark hoodie and oversized sunglasses from a small bag he always carried. He wrapped the fabric around. Aliana's head and covered part of her face. Then, Rafe put on a black cap and a surgical mask himself. Rafe pushed open the clinic door while carrying Aliana in his arms. A middle-aged man wearing glasses sat at the reception desk. His eyes widened when he saw the barely conscious woman. "We're closed," the doctor said nervously. "She's injured. Treat her now. This is urgent," Rafe said firmly, his tone cold. The doctor hesitated, glancing at Aliana's blood-soaked shoulder. Rafe pulled a small pistol from inside his jacket, pointing it at the desk. "Do it now, or tonight will be your last." The doctor immediately stood, his legs trembling. "F-follow me." Rafe carried Aliana into the exam room and gently laid her on the narrow bed. The doctor quickly put on gloves and examined the wound. "A gunshot?" the doctor muttered in shock. "It's... it's bad. The bullet's been removed before, but the wound's reopened." "Treat it, now," Rafe ordered. "No talking." The doctor, terrified-especially with Rafe still holding the weapon-said nothing more. He opened the medicine cabinet and began preparing antiseptics and bandages. His hands trembled as he cleaned the wound, terrified of making a mistake that could cost him his life. Aliana groaned weakly, still unconscious. Blood continued to pour from the gaping wound. "Sir... she's lost too much blood. If this isn't handled in a proper hospital, she may fall into a coma... or worse," the doctor said in panic. "She could die." "Don't make suggestions," Rafe snapped coldly. "Do your best. You're treating her here. Now." "But I don't have proper tools for a transfusion, no plasma... this is madness! And if the police find out-" Rafe stepped closer, pressing the pistol toward him. "If the police find us, I won't hesitate to shoot you right now." The doctor swallowed hard and resumed treating Aliana. He wrapped her wound in thicker medical gauze and injected a strong antiseptic into the area. 1/5 8:19 pm Chapter 33 20 Vouchers A few minutes later, Aliana's breathing steadied slightly, though she remained weak. Her face was still pale, but her eyes slowly opened. "Rafe..." she whispered. Rafe rushed to her side. "You're awake, Miss. Thank goodness!" "Where are we?" Aliana asked, glancing around. Her eyes widened as she realized. "We have to go." She stared sharply at Rafe, realizing they were in a clinic. "Your condition is still critical. Let the doctor finish treating you." "We have to leave now," Aliana insisted, rising from the bed. Her eyes shifted to the doctor, who was pretending to he cleaning blood from the table. "Give me basic medical supplies." "What?" the doctor stammered, shocked. "Strong painkillers, local anesthetic, sterile compresses, and waterproof wound coverings," Aliana replied quickly. "He'll pay for everything." The doctor looked to Rafe for confirmation. Rafe nodded sharply. Still shaking, the doctor packed the requested items into a medical plastic bag and handed over a small box containing ketorolac ampoules-potent painkillers typically used for serious wounds but known for dangerous side effects if misused. "Inject it into your thigh. No more than one ampoule every 8 hours," he warned. "If you overdose, you could collapse." "I know." Aliana took the plastic bag without another word and got off the bed. Rafe rushed to support her, handing the doctor a wad of cash. "Forget everything that happened tonight," Rafe threatened. The doctor just nodded stiffly. Once inside the car, Aliana tossed the medical bag onto the passenger seat. She took a deep breath and leaned her head back. "I'm sorry," Rafe said suddenly. "I had to bring you to the clinic. I was afraid something worse might happen." "It's fine," Aliana murmured. She glanced at Rafe in the driver's seat. "Now take me back to the Velor estate." Rafe nodded. Without wasting a moment, the car sped toward the city center, leaving the small clinic behind-slowly swallowed once again by the silence of the night. Meanwhile, inside the Velor family hotel's security control room, tension filled the air. Several CCTV screens replayed footage taken from various angles of the building hosting the charity gala, in an effort to locate Aliana. Andrian stood behind Elric, staring intently at the largest screen, which showed a black car stopping not far from the building's rear service area. Hours earlier, Elric had rushed to the hotel the moment he heard that Andrian's life was in danger. He had immediately begun searching for clues about the assassin targeting Andrian-while simultaneously trying to locate Aliana. 2/5 8:19 pm S D Chapter 35 "We haven't found Miss Aliana yet, but we did find this," Elric said, pointing at a specific frame. 20 vouchers One of the exterior parking cameras had captured a black car briefly stopping behind the hotel. Elric zoomed in and pointed to the license plate. "This vehicle... it's the same one that transported Nyx out of the warehouse two days ago. The plate matches the previous report. That car was at the hotel just hours after the gala started." Andrian narrowed his eyes, analyzing the car's shape and movement. It didn't take long for him to recognize it. It was indeed the same vehicle. "That car was here after the attack?" Andrian asked sharply. Elric nodded. "Yes. I've confirmed it using satellite data. It's the exact same vehicle-even the plate number is identi confident the driver was also the same." "Nyx came here after I was targeted?" Andrian didn't respond right away. He folded his arms and began thinking. "Or before," Elric countered. "If Nyx really was at the scene, he could have been the attacker. Maybe he's seeking revenge- because we thwarted his mission last time and injured him." "So, you think Nyx came here to kill me?" Andrian murmured, almost to himself. "It's the most likely scenario." Andrian went quiet again, then slowly shook his head. "It wasn't him." Elric turned quickly. "What do you mean?" "I know how Nyx attacks. His grip is strong, and his stabs are sharp and fast. But the one who attacked me earlier had a weaker grip. Even in the dark, I'm sure it wasn't Nyx." Elric frowned. "Maybe Nyx was still injured-his strength could've dropped?" "No," Andrian said firmly. "It's not just about strength. Their body structures are different. The one who attacked me was a man." Elric fell silent, processing Andrian's information. He knew Andrian's memory and perception were sharp, which made the assessment hard to dispute. "If it wasn't Nyx, then who?" Elric muttered. "And if that car really was Nyx's... then he had another reason to be here?" Andrian exhaled, tension rising in his chest. He turned swiftly. "Did you find anything about Aliana?" "Not yet, sir." Elric shook his head. "We've reviewed all the CCTV footage. We didn't see Miss Aliana exiting the ballroom. But... we also didn't find her inside the building." Andrian stared at the screens, his expression hardening. Something wasn't right. Then suddenly, memories from the moment of the attack flashed through his mind. He was sure he'd heard two people fighting near him. "Oh, I forgot to report," Elric added. "There was a bloodstain on the emergency stairwell. It didn't belong to any guests or staff. No one else has reported injuries. So most likely... it was either the assailant's, or-" 3/5 8:19 pm 0 Chapter 33 "Aliana's," Andrian said quietly, cutting him off. Silence fell. 20 ouchers Andrian's face tensed. A fleeting thought crossed his mind-was it possible that Aliana was Nyx? But he didn't say it out loud. His right fist clenched by his side. It was too early to conclude anything, but the clues overlapped far too conveniently. The trained movements, Nyx's presence, the unidentified blood, and Aliana's sudden disappearance. Andrian turned sharply. "Update me immediately if you find anything else. And... review the footage of anyone exiting o back area of the hotel. Don't let anything slip." "Yes, sir." Andrian's phone vibrated. Albert's name appeared on the screen. Andrian answered immediately. "Albert?" "Sir," Albert's voice sounded rushed. "Madam Aliana has returned to the pavilion. She arrived just a few minutes ago." "What?!" Andrian nearly dropped the phone from his hand. "How is she?" "She looked exhausted when she arrived. Elena said she asked not to be disturbed. She just wanted to rest." Without waiting for further explanation, Andrian ended the call and strode quickly out of the control room. "I'm heading home. You handle everything here," he instructed Elric. "Is something wrong?" "Aliana's back." Elric's eyes widened. But before he could say anything, Andrian had already entered the elevator and vanished from sight. On the way home to the mansion, Andrian's thoughts were a mess. He didn't know what to believe anymore. Was Aliana really Nyx? Why had she returned only after hours of vanishing? Could Nyx and Aliana be the same person? Too many things didn't add up. But one thing was clear-his wife was hiding something big. And tonight, he was going to uncover the truth. When Andrian arrived at the mansion, he ignored Albert's greeting. None of the servants dared speak, seeing his expression carved in stone. Without hesitation, Andrian headed straight for the pavilion. His steps were brisk. His breath was heavy. And when he stopped at Aliana's bedroom door, he found Elena standing outside, looking anxious. "Sir..." "She's inside?" Andrian asked coldly. Elena nodded hesitantly. "Miss Aliana is asleep. She looked so exhausted. I think she's unwell." 4/5 8:19 pm D Chapter 35 A 35 vouchers Andrian didn't hear the rest of Elena's words. He opened the door and stepped in-bringing with him all his fury and doubt. Aliana was lying in bed, the covers pulled up to her shoulders. Without a word, Andrian walked up and yanked the blanket. away. "What are you doing?!" Aliana woke with a start. Andrian pulled her upright and stood before her with a piercing glare. "I want to know-who is the real Aliana Zavier that I married? Are you... a hired assassin?" 市 Freelance photographer Violet Beck is forced into an engagement with CEO Roy Payne. He is everything her wild heart rebels against: proper, predictable, and painfully kind. But love has a way of devel...