bChapter 131/bb: /bbDangerous /bbRevtions /b

bChapter /b131b: /bbDangerous /bRevtions

b(/bbSophia /bRivers’s POV)

My bface /bturned pale as Nathan Sterling’s words hit me like ice water. I had been carelessb, /bunderestimating his intelligence and cunning.

“You should be grateful that I don’t want to do this now,” Nathan warned coldly, his eyes burning with fury.

“But next time I don’t know.”

He turned toward the door, his shoulders rigid with anger. Panic seized my chest as I watched him prepare to

leave.

“Nathan, wait!” I lunged forward desperately, grabbing his arm. “I really don’t dare anymore!”

He shook me boff /bviolently, causing me to stumble backward.. “I don’t believe your words.”

His voice was t and emotionless, which terrified me more than his anger. I knew I was losing him

“Please, listen to me!” I called out as he reached for the door handle. “I have a new n. I don’t need to target Elena anymore.”

Nathan paused, his hand frozen on the door. He didn’t turn around, but I could see the tension in his

shoulders.

“I found a recement,” I continued quickly, sensing his interest. “Someone who can convince Marcus that

she was the she–wolf who saved him years ago.”

Now he turned, his eyebrows raised in skeptical curiosity. “What are you talking about?”

“There’s a woman from the vige where the k********g incident urred,” I exined, my voice gaining

confidence. “She witnessed the rescue of two people. She knows enough details to be convincing.”

Nathan’s expression remained guarded. “You think Marcus will believe some random vige woman?”

“As long as Marcus doesn’t recover his memories of that incident, he’ll never know the truth,” I said with growing certainty. “This woman can provide the validation he needs.”

2 3 5 7 7

Nathan studied my face for a long moment. I could see him weighing the possibilities, calcting the risks.

“You’re ying a dangerous game, Sophia,” he said finally. “But I suppose it’s better than your previous

schemes.”

(Elena ckwood’s POV)

内

That night, I was tormented by vivid nightmares about the kb********/bg incident. In my dream, I saw myself as a

child again, huddled with five other terrified children in that dark, cold basement.

bThe /bsick child was coughing violently, ck blood sttering from his mouth. The crimson dropletsnded bon /banother boy’s faceb, /bstaining his pale skin.

S

But as I watched in horrorb, /bthe boy’s face began to change. His features shifted and morphed until I was staring at Hugo Ashworth’s adult face, covered in that same ck blood.

bI /bbjolted /bbawake /bbwith /bba /bbgasp/bb, /bbmy /bbheart /bbpounding /bbfrantically/bb. /bbCold sweat /bcovered bmy /bbskin /bas bthe /bbnightmare’s /bbImages /bblingered /bin bmy mind/b.

bMarcus /bbstirred /bbbeside /bme, immediately alert. “Elenab? /bWhat’s bwrong/b?”

He bsat /bup quickly, his hand reaching out to touch my damp forehead. “You’re soaked in sweat. bDid /byou have ba /bnightmareb?/bb” /b

bI /bnodded shakily, bstill /btrying to bprocess /bwhat I’d seen. Why had my mind connected Hugo to bthat /btraumatic

bmemory/b?

Pro CUS

“Who were you dreaming about?b” /bMarcus asked, his voice gentle but curious.

I avoided his searching gaze, not wanting to exin the confusing dream. “It was nothing. Just old

memoriesb./b”

Marcus pulled me against his chest, his arms wrapping around me protectively. “Try to sleep again. I’m here.”

But sleep wouldn’te easily. Iy there in his embrace, troubled by the dream’s meaning and the

impossible connection my subconscious had made.

The next morning at breakfast, I was still preupied with the nightmare. I reflected on how the boy in my memory had helped distract the kidnappers, allowing Marcus and me to escape.

ording to news reports, only two survivors remained from that incident. The brave boy who had helped us

must have perished along with the others.

This made it impossible for him to be Hugo. The connection my dream had created was just my mind ying

tricks on me.

(Elena ckwood’s POV)

During breakfast, Amber Stone approached Marcus and whispered something about a signed contract. Her

voice was too low for me to hear the details.

Marcus nodded and turned to me with what he probably thought was good news. “Elena, I bought back the

ckthorne familypound for you.”

The words hit me like a physical blow. I set down my fork, staring at him in disbelief.

“You can live wherever you want after we return to the Northern Territory,” he continued, seemingly oblivious

to my shock.

“I don’t want to go back,” I said firmly, my voice cutting through his optimistic tone.

Marcus’s expression darkened immediately. The warmth in his eyes disappeared, reced by something cold

and dangerous.

ギー

さん

–

–

I stood up abruptly, pushing my chair back. “I need to get to the institute.”

N

4

“Elena.” His voice stopped me at the doorway. When I turned, his tone had softened slightly. “Eat first.”

I shook my head. “Amber, please pack the food. I’ll eat at the institute.”

(Marcus ckwood’s POV).

O

1

My mood turned increasingly dark as Elena’s rejection echoed in my mind. But it wasn’t just her refusal to

breturn /bto the Northern Territory that bothered me.

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Chute 131 Dangerous bR /b

Last bnight/bb, /bbshe /bbhad /bbtalked /bbin /bher bsleep/b. Her bvoice /bbwas /bbfilled /bbwith /bbconcern /bas bshe /bbwhispered /babout someone’s bsafety/bb, /bbpleading /bbfor /bb“/bbhim/bb” /bbto /bbbe /bbcareful/b.

The jealousy consumed bme /blike bpoison/b. bWho /bwas bthis /bman bshe /bworried babout /beven bin /bher bdreams/bb? /b

I bgripped /bmy dining knife bso /bbtightly /bbthat /bbmy /bprevious hand bwound /breopened. Blood seeped bthrough /bbthe /bbbandage/bb, /bstaining bthe /bwhite gauze red.

“bAlpha/bb, /bbyour /bhand is bleeding again,” Amber observed with concern.

I looked down bat /bthe blood with frightening calmness. b“/bIt’s nothing.”

Amber studied my face carefully. “Are you having self–destructive tendenciesb?/bb” /b

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I dismissed her concern, though the pain in my hand felt almost weepared bto /b

the ache in my chest.

(Elena ckwood’s POV)

At the institute, I threw myself into work with desperate intensity. I performed three surgeries back–to–back, barely stopping to eat the packed breakfast.

When I encountered Hugo Ashworth in the corridor, he was speaking with a patient’s family. I found myself studying his face more intently than usual, searching for any resemnce to the boy from my nightmare.

“The surgery went well,” Hugo was telling an elderly couple. “Your son should make a full recovery.”

The relief on their faces was touching. Hugo’s gentle bedside manner contrasted sharply with his usual professional distance.

“Elena,” he called out when he noticed me watching. “How are you feeling today?”

Before I could answer, Jane appeared at my elbow. “Professor Ashworth, there’s a woman surnamed Rivers

who wants to see you.”

My expression changed immediately. Sophia was here.

Hugo noticed my reaction and raised an eyebrow. “Should I meet with her?”

I tried to appear nonchnt, but curiosity burned in my chest. “That’s your decision.”

“You seem interested in her intentions,” he observed with amusement. “Very well, I’ll see what she wants.”

I slipped into the washroom of Hugo’s office, positioning myself where I could hear their conversation through the thin wall. My heart raced as I waited.

Sophia arrived within minutes. I could hear her heels clicking on the floor as she entered.

“Professor Ashworth,” her voice was sickeningly sweet. “Thank you for agreeing to see me.”

“What can I do for you, Miss Rivers?” Hugo’s tone was professionally distant.

“I’m a student of Professor Andrew Kelly and a friend of Nathan Sterling,” Sophia began, her practiced charm evident. “I’ve heard wonderful things about your coboration with Professor Theodore on neural healing

therapy.”

There was a pause before Hugo responded. “I’m not involved in any neural therapy research project. You should contact Professor Theodore directly.”

Me 131 Dangerous H.

“Oh, I see,” Sophia’s voice faltered slightly. “Wellb, /bbperhaps /bwe could still be bfriends/bb? /bI’m always beager /bbto /bbmeet /bdistinguished colleagues.b” /b

Hugo’s response was brutally direct. “I don’t need to make friends. I’m notcking in that department.”

I could almost picture Sophia’s face falling at his rejection.

“Do you have some misunderstanding about me?b” /bshe asked, attempting to y the victim.

“I don’t know you well enough to have any misunderstandings,” Hugo replied coldly. “But I do find it concerning that you’ve sought me out both at the ckwood Consortium and here at the institute. Perhaps you should consider seeking medical treatment for such persistent behavior.”

The silence that followed was deafening. I could imagine Sophia’s humiliation and rage.

Just as I thought she would leave, Sophia’s voice changed. “Is someone hiding in your washroom, Professor?”

My blood ran cold. She had noticed my silhouette.

After what felt like an eternity, I heard Sophia’s heels clicking toward the door. The office door closed with a

soft click.

“Elena,” Hugo called out calmly. “Do you n toe out?”

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