?Chapter 145:


    Merritt paused, unsure of how to respond to Paige’s suggestion. For years, he had been trying to find a way into Cole’s world. He’d tried everything to get closer to him, but no matter what he did, he was always kept at arm’s length. Cole came from the squeaky-clean Evans family, and Merritt was always kept on the outside, never truly part of their circle.


    Paige’s idea seemed simple enough, though. Getting rid of someone like Elliana wouldn’t have been much of a challenge for him. He hesitated, not because he feared the act itself, but because of what might follow. Cole might despise Elliana, but in the eyes of the world, she was still his wife. If Merritt moved against her and Cole took it the wrong way, things could spiral quickly.


    Paige noticed the hesitation in Merritt’s eyes and began to panic. Her main wish was simple: she needed Elliana out of her life for good. The only n that made sense to her was getting rid of Elliana with Merritt’s help. He was her best shot, and if he refused, she’d be stuck dealing with Elliana’s smug face—something that made her blood boil just thinking about it.


    “Why the dy?” Paige asked, her voiceced with uncertainty.


    Kiara, catching on to what Paige was hinting at, jumped in without hesitation. “If there’s something bothering you, don’t hold back. Let’s figure it out together. Maybe I can help.”


    Merritt fell silent, considering the idea. In his mind, Kiara had always been sharp. Back in his street-level days, she’d given him advice that had helped him climb higher, and that trust had never faded. Once Kiara spoke up, she gave him a sly smile.


    “This isn’tplicated,” she said. “Just pretend to kidnap Paige along with Elliana. That way, no one will trace it back to you. We’ll watch Cole’s reaction. If he doesn’t care, we stay hidden. If he gets suspicious, we decide what to do next.”


    “That’s brilliant!” Paige eximed, eagerlytching onto the n.


    Merritt didn’t need more convincing. “Alright. Let’s make it happen.”


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    The next morning, Elliana woke up just as her rm rang. The night before, she had spent considerable time thinking about the Scorpion King. Podgend wasn’t far from the Delta, and over time, it had be a breeding ground for criminals. Law enforcement was practically nonexistent, and justice had be a puppet show controlled by the rich and corrupt.


    Delta’s elite had long turned Podgend into their personal chessboard, pulling strings behind the scenes through bribed politicians and fake reforms. In reality, Podgend had be a stage for power ys, fueled by Delta’s interests.


    Her marriage to Cole had been legally recorded in Podgend. That couldn’t be a coincidence. Whoever had orchestrated the situation—could they also be tied to Delta? If so, what was the purpose of Delta’s forces meddling in Ublento and arranging her marriage to Cole?


    Elliana couldn’t shake the feeling that both her marriage to Cole and the chaos surrounding the Henderson family were threads pulled from the same web—the Delta’s web. That connection was enough to push her into action. She didn’t have any better leads, and this one felt urgent. Determined to follow through, she headed downstairs for breakfast. Her n was simple: eat and then visit the Henderson family to check on Barbara’s condition.


    Stepping into the dining room, she was caught off guard. Every seat was already taken. The whole Evans family had risen early. Even Ruben had shown up, which almost never happened.


    Though surprised by the full table, Elliana brushed aside her curiosity. She greeted the elders politely and quietly took her seat. As she brought her ss of milk to her lips, she paused. Every pair of eyes in the room was fixed on her. That’s when it hit her—they hadn’t just woken up early. They were waiting for her. ncing around at the strange tension in the air, she turned her gaze to Ruben. “Is something going on?” she asked, keeping her voice light.


    Instead of answering right away, Ruben leaned forward. “Are you heading to the Henderson residence today to check on Barbara?” he asked.


    She gave a small nod. “Yes. I promised Mrs. Henderson I would stop by.” His expression tightened instantly. His brow furrowed, as if something about her answer made him uneasy.


    Noticing the shift, she asked, “What’s wrong?”


    Ruben didn’t reply immediately. He seemed to weigh his words carefully before asking, “Elliana, are you confident in treating Barbara?” The questionnded like a cold ssh. She hadn’t expected him to go there. Any good doctor knew never to promise perfection. No matter how skilled or famous—even someone like Milena would hesitate to speak in absolutes. Each patient was different. Each illness had its own personality. Treatments worked differently depending on the person. Predicting the oue was never a sure thing.


    Although she felt confident in her approach, she understood that she couldn’t give Ruben the kind of certainty he seemed to want. Medicine didn’t work that way.


    Her moment of hesitation made everyone at the table assume shecked confidence.


    Ruben’s concern deepened. “Elliana, if you aren’tpletely sure, then don’t go. You’ve already done more than enough by pulling Barbara back from death with the Venacure. Let’s wait until Milena contacts us. There’s no need to take unnecessary risks.”


    Elliana understood exactly what Ruben was afraid of. He didn’t want a misstep to escte into something worse. If things went south, the Henderson family mightsh out—and that kind of fallout wouldn’t be easy to fix.


    Bertram chimed in, “Elliana, what you did yesterday was incredible. No one’s questioning your skill. But this situation is delicate. We can’t afford even a minor setback. It’s best we hold off until Milena responds.”


    “Alright,” Elliana said with a nod, avoiding an unnecessary argument. But deep down, her decision had already been made. Once breakfast was over, she would still make that trip to the Henderson family’s residence.


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