?Chapter 1049:


    The following morning, Elena woke in her room and headed downstairs after getting herself ready for the day.


    A bright grin broke across Charlette’s face when Elena finally appeared. “Elena! You’re back atst. You wouldn’t believe the mess you missed—N tried passing herself off as the Healer’s protégé and ended up getting tossed out of the Base Medical Center. It was chaos!”


    Elena calmly poured herself a ss of water, barely blinking. “Oh.”


    That t response immediately set off rm bells in Charlette’s head. “Hold up… Elena, did you have something to do with that?”


    The Base Medical Center staff had returned from the International Advanced Medical Practices Forum, but no one breathed a word about the incident until N’s sudden dismissal. Charlette had been suspicious before, and Elena’s cool reaction just sealed the deal.


    Charlette leaned in, dropping her voice. “Spill it—how’d you blow N’s cover?”


    Before Elena could answer, Wesley, who’d just made his way downstairs, broke in, his tone cial. “Back off, unless you’re looking to regret it.”


    Charlette felt the temperature drop. She took a giant step back from Elena, suddenly cautious. Wesley’s protective streak bordered on suffocating. One innocent shoulder nudge, and he was already eyeing her like a threat. Mutteringints about Wesley under her breath, Charlette took another few paces back. Deciding it was safer to let the gossip drop, she came up with an excuse and ducked out of the estate altogether.


    With Charlette gone, Wesley didn’t waste a second strolling over to Elena, pulling her into his arms from behind. His morning voice was low and rough. “Up already? Thoughtst night would’ve worn you out.”


    Still unustomed to that kind of closeness, Elena pushed his head away, clearly flustered. “Say one more word, and you’re sleeping in your own room tonight.”


    Wesley justughed, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck. Flustering her never got old. He might be able to keep quiet, but when it came to Elena, he had no intention of keeping his hands to himself.


    Elena passed N on her way to the research institute. She barely acknowledged her, ncing past as though she were invisible.


    Tension pulled at N’s features. Her eyes stayed glued to Elena’s retreating figure, overflowing with jealousy and resentment. Anger simmered inside her. If Elena hadn’t exposed her lies, she’d still be working at the Base Medical Center!


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    Once parading around as the Healer’s protégé, N was now an outcast, hounded by whispers and pointed fingers at every turn. Even after her dismissal from the Base Medical Center, she refused to give up. She remained at the base, enduring the sneers and the cold shoulders, searching for any opportunity to turn things around. Determined, she promised herself that everyone who had ever scorned her would regret it.


    Irritation sharpened N’s features. She spun and caught sight of Lucinda.


    When their eyes met, Lucinda’s expression turned stiff. She quickly dropped her gaze and, linking arms with another woman, hurried off as though she hadn’t seen N at all.


    N scoffed and looked away, thinking how foolish Lucinda was to try and exclude her like everyone else. Once she got in touch with a contact from the organ trafficking organization, she’d make sure to target their organs.


    Leaving the Azure Dragon Unit Base wasn’t simple. N ran into trouble at the security checkpoint. The guards who once greeted her with smiles now watched her with disdain. “No one leaves unless they have clearance.”


    Barred from meeting Lamont, N couldn’t get the paperwork she needed. She kept her voice low. “I just need to step outside for a minute. My friend’s waiting across the street. I promise I won’t be long.”


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