Mirabe waved a casual goodbye to James, not waiting for a reply, and strolled out of the luxurious vi.


    Curtis, ever the gentleman, quickly piped up. “I’ll drive you, Miss Mirabe.” He followed closely behind her, careful to respect her space.


    Niki watched Mirabe’s retreating form, his gaze lingering long after she had vanished from sight. He then turned to see James, who looked vastly different from just moments ago, and his eyes fell on the bottle in his hand. “Might I have a look at that medicine, James?”


    James nodded and handed the bottle over to Niki without hesitation.


    Niki twisted off the cap and took a delicate sniff, his eyes widening in shock. “This is… this can’t be…”


    In the car, Curtis drove with due diligence, asionally ncing at Mirabe in the rearview mirror, his curiosity evident.


    Who would have thought that this young girl, appearing no older than a high schooler, could impress the esteemed Niki, someone considered a giant in the field of traditional medicine?


    As Curtis‘ mind raced with thoughts of James‘ injuries, he hadn’t taken the time to observe the girl. Now, in the quiet of the car, he noticed that she had never once shown a hint of panic, not even when facing his own fury. Herposure was far from typical for a teenager.


    Who exactly was this girl called Mirabe? Curtis was a bundle of questions.


    Aware of Curtis‘ scrutiny, Mirabe didn’t even bother lifting her eyelids, maintaining her nonchnt demeanor.


    The car ride was silent.


    Out of boredom, Mirabe fished out her phone to y a game. As she yed, a Twitter notification popped up at the top of her screen, causing her fingers to pause mid–tap. After a brief moment of distraction<b>, </b>the game’s screen dimmed, indicating her character’s demise.


    She squinted her eyes and switched over to Twitter, not bothering to wait for the in–game resurrection.


    The trending topics were all about her brother’s injury. She tapped on one and skimmed through thements with a slight sneer, her eyes growing colder. Soon after, she closed the


    app.


    In the driver’s seat, Curtis felt a vague chill in the air and subconsciously nced at the rearview mirror, but nothing seemed amiss. Strange<b>, </b><b>he </b>thought.


    Twenty minutester, Curtis dropped Mirabe at the entrance to her modest apartment


    11:00


    Meanwhile, Collins was pacing his office, phone in hand, his face clouded with worry as he scrolled through Twitter. “I knew something like this would happen,” he muttered.


    The buzz on Twitter revolved around one rming piece of news: “Neon Paradox’s frontman Juztin rumored to be seriously injured, possibly signaling the end for the beloved band.”


    Neon Paradox’s enduring fame,rgely thanks to Leo’s explosive performances and unique vocal style, had amassed a legion of fans. At the peak of their sess, rumors of Leo’s injury and disbandment were thest things they needed.


    Collins was particrly frustrated, as he was in the midst of sealing endorsement deals with several luxury brands. Now, with this scandal brewing, those brands might reconsider their offers.


    While Collins was a bundle of nerves, Leo sat on the couch, the picture of serenity. He had cycled through despair and resignation several times since his injury, and now, oddly, he felt a sense of detachment about it all.


    Looking up at Collins, Leo suddenly said, “Maybe it’s for the best if the band did break up.”