869 Chapter 868


    Keira tried to sit up and speak, but found herself too weak. Just as she was about to say something, everything started spinning, and she passed out.


    She didn''t know how much time had passed, but when she woke up again, she was in a hospital.


    As her eyes fluttered open, someone spoke, "She''s awake!"


    Keira looked up to see a nurse and a soldier wearing a face mask, standing nearby with a gun, eyeing her warily.


    Keira immediately scanned the room but didn''t see Lewis by her side.


    "Where''s Solomon? Where is he?" she asked, her voice tinged with panic.


    The nurse replied, "You mean the man who was with you? He''s in the next room. Don''t worry, his bleeding has stopped. I just need to ask you a few questions."


    Keira nced at the soldier, recognizing that she wasn''t authorized by anyone from the South family''s ind.


    "Go ahead," she said, her voice steady despite the unease creeping in.


    Keira wasn''t worried. The South family''s ind was huge, and most people in this city wouldn''t recognize her. After all, the heirs to the family were kept secret.


    Most of the inders wouldn''t have a clue who she was. Even these soldiers likely didn''t know her.


    The soldiers who protected them were from the Royal Guard—the elite of the South family''s military.


    Besides, when Keira first came to the ind, she''d learned how special it was. It was one of the only habitable inds in the sea.


    People who got stranded in the surrounding waters often ended up on the ind, meaning there were always a few hundred drifters washing up every year.


    The local poption livedfortably, with wealthy families, but because of that, the ind had very little productivity. The South family actually weed the drifters with no identities, hiring them to serve the local residents.


    If the drifters kept clean, they could be employed like maids and make a life for themselves on the ind.


    But the South family also watched out for spies, so basic interrogations were standard procedure.


    The nurse spoke again. "Can I have your name?"


    "Norma."


    The nurse continued, "So you and Solomon... are you a couple? How did you end up here?"


    Keira lowered her gaze. She and Lewis had already worked out the story on the boat before they arrived. She kept her head down and answered, "We''re engaged. But one day, we went on a trip to Country T, and a local crime boss... took an interest in us."


    The nurse interrupted, "Country T? So, the crime boss wanted Solomon? I can see why. He''s pretty good-looking."


    Keira blinked. "Huh?"


    She stared at the nurse, suddenly at a loss for words, struggling to keep the story going.


    Her acting wasn''t great to begin with, and now she hadpletely lost her train of thought…


    Before Keira could regroup, the nurse went on, "So your boyfriend''s straight, right? And he wouldn''t give in, so the crime boss started hunting you both?"


    Keira hesitated, then said, "Well, it wasn''t exactly like that."


    The nurse grinned. "Poor guy. He''s so good-looking. I can''t me the boss for being interested."


    Keira''s face twitched. "That''s... not really it."


    At least, that wasn''t the version they''d agreed on!


    The nurse just kept going, "But you''re beautiful too. No wonder he''d run away with you. For someone like you, it''s worth it."


    Keira sighed, trying to keep herposure. "Can''t the crime boss be interested in a woman?"


    The nurse looked at her, confused. "In Country T? It''s normal for men to like men, right?"


    Keira was shocked. "What are they teaching people on this ind?"


    Where did all these strange idease from?


    Keira sighed again, clearing her throat. "Well, not exactly."


    She had to stick to the story she and Lewis had agreed on. If she didn''t, their cover could fall apart.