Harvey frowned deeply as he opened the door to the hospital room.


    Outside, stood a nurse he didn''t recognize, her hands carefully bncing a tray, a smile ying on her lips:


    "Good morning, Mr. Chambers, it''s time for your medication. Dying could worsen your condition."


    "You''re not the regr nurse." Harvey eyed her cautiously.


    "I was transferred here just yesterday, call me Verna. Trista, the nurse before me, was in a car ident. We''re short-staffed,"


    Verna reassured him confidently, "Please, you can trust me. I''ve signed the confidentiality agreement too. I won''t spill a word that shouldn''t be spilled."


    "Come in then." Harvey stepped aside, his tone cool and detached.


    As the nurse entered and ced the tray on the bedside table, just about to reach for Avery, the man coldly interrupted:


    "We won''t be needing your assistance. My assistant can handle the injections. You may leave."


    Verna paused, a bit startled, butplied and left the room.


    At this moment, Avery could no longer hold back, his left hand trembling as it grasped his equally shaking right arm, his facial muscles too quivering beyond his control:


    "Harvey. I can''t take this anymore!"


    Harvey, appearing as a deeply concerned father unwilling to see his child suffer, knew the medication was a double-edged sword. Yet, with a heart full of turmoil, he eventually took out the medicine,


    After a while, Avery''s trembling ceased, and color slowly returned to his pale face. Harvey sighed, a mix of resignation and frustration coloring his breath.


    He was increasingly unable to discern whether the doctor had been Avery''s savior or his destroyer.


    "Harvey, take this medication to Dr. Green for testing. And, look into this new nurse''s background," Avery''s eyes dark and piercing, nced at the syringe on


    the tray.


    Harvey nodded in understanding, "Yes, Mr. Chambers, I''ll see to it right away." Soon, Harvey returned to the room, his expression visibly lighter:


    "Mr. Chambers, the medication is fine. Also, the previous nurse did indeed have a car ident and broke her leg."


    "Good, that''s reassuring. You can leave now; I need to rest."


    Avery closed his eyes, a faint tremor in his throat as he savored the memory of Evadne''s visit, her presence seemingly lingering in the air with a soft, sweet scent.


    The medication induced vivid illusions and a strong sense of euphoria, the real reason he couldn''t quit it.


    It felt as if he was enveloped in the tender embrace of a woman, his beloved Evadne, by his side, caring for him, smiling at him.


    "Evadne. I truly love you. You''ve always lived in my heart, my body, never leaving me."


    Even if all she had for him was hatred, he found it satisfying.


    The night grew still and silent.


    The nurse, having finished her night shift, left the hospital through the back door and got into a nondescript ck sedan.


    Minutester, the car stopped in a dark alley.


    The nurse quickly got out, looked around, and then hurried into a parked minivan.


    "Ms. Evadne!"


    Verna was thrilled to finally meet Evadne, her excitement akin to a superfan meeting a celebrity, "Wow. You''re even more beautiful in person than on TV! Absolutely angelic! Those darn cameras do you no justice!"


    Jason, sitting at the driver''s seat, couldn''t help but chuckle in agreement. "You tter me, Verna."


    Evadne gave her a warm, weing smile, handing her a hot coffee, "Take a break, have some coffee first."


    "I''m not tired, Ms. Evadne!"


    Verna''s voice quivered with excitement, "Just meeting you make me happy! I feel like I could run a marathon!"


    "I''m d you''re safe," Evadne sighed, her eyes reflecting concern, "After all, the person you approached is extremely dangerous. One wrong move could have


    been fatal."


    Verna shook her head, her gaze resolute, "I''m not afraid. If I were, I wouldn''t have taken your request when you approached me. My brother and I grew up together. Ever since he started working at The Velvet Haven as Avery''s bodyguard, it''s been nothing but insults and beatings. Eventually, Avery injured him so badly, he''s been left with a permanent disability. Can''t use his right leg at all! Avery is a monster! He doesn''t see people as human beings, just tools for his own anger!" Evadne looked at her with deep sympathy, her face pained by Verna''s story. "Now that you''vee to me, if I can contribute to his downfall, I''d dly do so, even if it means my own destruction!" Verna''s eyes welled up with tears.


    "I don''t want your destruction; I want you to get your revenge and still live a full life. What about your brother then?"


    Evadne''s heart ached, "There was a girl who tried to protect me once, and she left this world forever. That''s a wound in my heart that will never heal.


    Even though I''ve brought you into this, I''d never force you to stay. You can walk away at any time, and I''ll still ensure you and your brother are wellpensated. More so, I''ll do my best to treat your brother''s injury."


    Jason beamed with pride, "Ourdy here is a top-notch surgeon, Dr. Eve! With her, recovery''s almost guaranteed!"


    Verna''s eyes sparkled anew with hope.


    "Well, it''s not a guarantee, but I''ll do everything I can to get your brother back on his feet," Evadne quickly added, "But Verna, don''t feel pressured. Regardless of the oue, I''ll do my best."


    "Thank you, Ms. Evadne. But rest assured, I''m in this till the end!" Verna stated firmly.


    Evadne nodded gratefully:


    "Today, when you sent the medicines, he didn''t suspect anything, did he?"


    "Not for the moment, but he''s very cautious!"


    Verna frowned, "He saw I was new and didn''t let me administer the injection. Instead, he had his secretary check on my background and even tested the medication to ensure it wasn''t tampered with. He''s too cunning!"


    Evadne smirked coldly, "That''s expected. If he weren''t that cautious, he wouldn''t have survived this long."


    "But, it looks like he used the medicine I sent over, and didn''t cause any trouble for me. Probably hasn''t figured out who I really am."


    "Even though I''ve crafted a fake identity for you, and your brother isn''t rted to you by blood, Avery is a dangerously sharp and cunning individual. We can''t afford to take him lightly."


    Verna and her brother had grown up together in an orphanage, as close as any siblings could be. During the years her brother worked for the Chambers Group, she was away, busy with her studies and internships. That''s why Harvey hadn''t sniffed out the deep connection between them.


    And that''s precisely why Evadne chose her.


    Truly a stroke of genius!


    "Ms. Evadne, what''s the n now? Poison him? Sabotage his car?" Verna asked, barely able to contain her excitement.


    "Hold your horses."


    Evadne leaned back, the picture of calm, "For now, do nothing. Just keep delivering his regr medicine on schedule."


    Verna was puzzled, "We''ve got such a good opportunity to get close to him, and you want to slow down?"


    "Haste makes waste. Avery''s suspicious by nature. Act rashly, and we might blow our cover."


    Evadne''s gaze was intense, "Gaining his trust, getting him to lower his guard, is more important than anything else right now. I''ve got ns for the rest."