?Chapter 131:


    The sharp, clinical scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils, making her stomach churn.


    “You’re awake, Sadie?” A familiar voice broke through the haze, warm andced with concern.


    Sadie turned her head slowly, wincing at the effort. Her blurry gaze settled on Alex, sitting at her bedside. His face was lined with exhaustion, but relief flickered in his eyes.


    “Where… where am I?” Her throat was dry, the words barely a whisper.


    “We’re in Cairhienen,” Alex replied gently, reaching for a ss of water. “I’ve taken care of everything.” He handed her the ss, his tone soft but firm. “Just focus on getting better. We’ll deal with the restter.”


    Sadie epted the ss, sipping slowly. The cool water soothed her raw throat, offering a sliver offort amidst the lingering pain. “Thank you, Alex,” she murmured, her eyes meeting his with quiet gratitude. “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”


    Alex smiled, though there was something unspoken behind his eyes—a flicker of hesitation. “Actually… about Noah…” he started, his voice cautious.


    “Don’t,” Sadie snapped, cutting him off. “I don’t want to hear his name. I’m done talking about the past.”


    Alex paused, the tension settling between them like a weight. After a beat, he nodded. “Very well, just get some sleep then.”


    Alex stood up, his footsteps light as he made his way to the door. He paused for a moment, his hand resting on the doorknob, as if on the verge of saying something. But whatever words lingered on his tongue, he swallowed them, slipping out silently and closing the door softly behind him.


    Left alone, Sadie let out a shaky breath and gently ced her hand on her t abdomen. Beneath her fingertips, she imagined the fragile pulse of life growing inside her, a warmth blooming in her chest despite the lingering fear.


    If that ck sedan had swerved just a few more centimeters…


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    The thought wed at her mind. She could’ve been lying in a morgue right now, her body cold and lifeless. The tiny life within her would’ve been snuffed out before it even had a chance to begin.


    A tremor ran through her, the fear crashing over her in waves. But mingled with that fear was an overwhelming sense of relief—a fierce, bittersweet joy that she had survived. They had survived.


    A single tear escaped, sliding down her cheek and soaking into the crisp white sheets, leaving a faint mark of everything she was feeling but couldn’t say out loud.


    Sadie closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath, steadying the whirlwind of fear and sadness swirling inside her.


    Tomorrow… tomorrow would be a new beginning.


    Ryder was thrown onto the cold concrete floor, the impact jarring through his bound limbs. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, a stark contrast against his pale skin, pooling beneath him like a dark stain.


    Noah stood over him, his eyes cold and sharp, a predator circling its prey.


    “Who ordered you to do this?” His voice was low, steady, butced with a dangerous edge.


    Ryder let out a guttural chuckle, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor, the crimson stter vivid in the dim light. “Do whatever you want,” he said, defiance burning in his eyes.


    Without a word, Noah reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a photograph. He tossed it onto the floor in front of Ryder, the glossy imagending with a soft p.


    In the photo, a woman leaned intimately against a man, their faces obscured, but their closeness undeniable.


    “Who’s the man with her?” Noah’s voice dropped, the words slicing through the tense air like a de.


    Ryder’s gaze flicked to the photo. A twisted grin curled the edges of his bloodied lips, and a hoarse, almost manicugh escaped his throat. “Care to make a guess?” he taunted, his voice dripping with mockery.


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