Inside the VIP lounge, Chad shrugged off his ruined suit jacket, revealing a tailored white shirt and a ck vest beneath it.


    Evadne''s pupils contracted.


    The pristine white fabric was shed by ss shards, revealing harsh, bloody cuts underneath. For a moment, she genuinely didn''t know where to begin treating him. "What''s wrong? Is Dr. Ashbourne frozen in shock?"


    Chad offered a faint smile, his breath slightly shallow, yet he still managed to joke around as if he werepletely fine. "Someone imed to be a highly skilled surgeon earlier. Aren''t you going to treat your patient''s superficial wounds?"


    "Mr. Abernathy, truly... thank you," Evadne replied, snapping back to reality with a bitter smile. “If you hadn''t shielded me, I''d be the one looking like a pincushion right now."


    "Evadne."


    Chad rested his elbows on the arm of the sofa, resting his perfectly contoured jaw on his crossed arms. His voice was soft and muffled. "All my life, people have looked at me like I''m a fragile, useless cripple. You can say I did this to prove myself, or for any other reason you like.


    “But the truth is, I just wanted to protect you. Now that you and Thaddeus are no longer together, I want to take his ce. I want to protect you and give you security.


    “I might not have Thaddeus''sbat skills, but I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. Even if it costs me everything."


    It was an undisguised confession.


    Yet, Evadne stared coldly at the man''s back, entirely unmoved.


    *Fragile? Useless?*


    *You dismembered an innocent girl when you were just a teenager. You operated from Country M, yet you had endless waves of loyal foot soldiers willing to die for you. You sat in a wheelchair, yet you framed Thaddeus time and time again. You used Avery Chambers to manipte Elmsworth''s political and business elites, orchestrating chaos from the shadows.*


    *Crocodile tears. A devil''s sincerity.*


    *Your acting is phenomenal, Chad. You might fool the world, but you will never fool me.*


    Despite her inner disgust, Evadne didn''t pull away. Instead, she offered a soft, amused smile.


    "I don''t need you to die for me, Mr. Abernathy. If something happens to you, who will run the Abernathy group? I still need you around so we can do business, make millions of dors, conquer the corporate world, and reach the pinnacle of sess. So don''t do something this reckless again. I''m perfectly capable of protecting myself."


    Chad just smiled, staying silent.


    "That attacker was certainly interesting," Evadne remarked smoothly, changing the subject. “Breaking in to stab someone is one thing, but spouting all that nonsense? Does he really expect anyone to believe him?"


    A dark, swirling undercurrent surfaced in Chad''s eyes as he asked with a chuckle, "You think he was lying? What if he was telling the truth? That would mean you''re currently in the room with a terrifying serial killer. Aren''t you afraid?"


    "I don''t buy it. Murder carries the death penalty. If you were actually a murderer, could you have kept it hidden this long? Avery Chambers was brought to justice. Elmsworth hasws."


    Evadne looked at him with eyes full


    of unwavering trust. “I''m more inclined to believe a corporate rival is trying to cause trouble. Otherwise, why strike at our partnersh celebration? It''s highly suspicious."


    "Thank you, Evadne. Thank you for believing in me," Chad sighed softly, expressing genuine gratitude.


    He sounded as if he were truly an innocent, wrongly used man.


    Evadne forced a bright smile. "If I didn''t trust you, I wouldn''t have partnered with the Abernathy group. We''re in the same boat now.


    "If one of us thrives, we both thrive. If one falls, we both fall."


    "Don''t worry, Evadne."


    Chad suddenly sat up and grabbed the hand she was using to hold a medical swab. His grip was iron-tight, the pale blue veins on the back of his hand bulging. His eyes burned with an intense possessive hunger. "In our world, the sun will never set. Our future will be nothing but absolute glory."


    Evadne suppressed a shudder, fighting back her nausea as she allowed him to hold her hand.


    "President Ashbourne!"


    Thankfully, Jason Dempsey burst into the room. Seeing the scene, he froze for a split second before smoothly reporting, "The ambnce is here! We need to get Mr. Abernathy to the hospital!"


    ...


    Hospital, VIP Wing.


    Chad was getting his wounds professionally dressed in his private suite, while Evadne, Jason, and the Abernathy security detail waited in the corridor.


    “Ms. Evadne, here." Jason handed her a pack of alcohol wipes.


    Evadne snatched it, immediately pulling one out to frantically scrub the hand Chad had touched. She pulled out ten in a row, scrubbing her skin until her fingertips were raw and red.


    "Contact Aaron. Have him protect that man in custody. The people at the police station can''t be trusted right now. If Chad has spies nted inside the attacker could quietly disappear she instructed in a lows, whisper.


    Jason nodded firmly. “Understood. I''ll notify Mr. Ashbourne immediately."


    Just as Jason walked away, the sharp, rapid clicking of high heels echoed down the


    hallway.


    The Abernathy bodyguards immediately bowed respectfully.


    "Ms. Alexia!"