Chapter 186 David is Taken Away

bChapter /bb186/bb: /bbDavid /bbis /bbTaken /bAway

bChapter /b186: David is Taken Away

(Elena ckwood’s POV)

The nurse couldn’t help but smile as she reminded Marcus, “Alpha, please remember to eat breakfast bbefore /byour silver purification treatment.”

Marcus responded with a simple “mm” and looked back at me. I deliberately turned my head away, brefusing /bbto /bmeet his gaze.

He chuckled softly before leaving the room with the medical staff. The sound of hisughter made my chest- tighten with unwanted emotion.

After everyone else left, L approached me with curious eyes. She sat on the edge of the bed, studying my face carefully.

“Sister–inw, have you reconciled with Cousin Marcus?” she asked quietly.

I firmly shook my head. “No, we haven’t.”

L’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “But you two were sleeping together…”

“Your Cousin Marcus has ino /ishame and climbed into bed himself,” I exined bluntly.

L’s eyes widened in shock. Her mouth fell open as she processed this revtion.

“He… he just got iinto /iyour bed without permission?” she stammered.

I nodded, feeling heat rise to my cheeks at the memory. “I was already asleep when he came in.”

L was stunned into silence for several moments. Then she shook her head with a mixture of admiration

and disbelief.

“My cousin is really shameless when ites to you,” she muttered.

(Sophia Rivers’s POV)

I arrived at the Moonrise Cosmetic Enhancement Clinic following the address I had been given. The building looked expensive and exclusive, exactly the kind of ce wealthy she–wolves would frequent.

A nurse in pristine white scrubs led me through polished corridors to the director’s office. The click of my heels echoed against the marble floors.

Inside the office, a she–wolf in a swivel chair slowly turned to face me. Her smile was cold and calcting.

“You’re here,” she said smoothly. “Sit down.”

I sat in the chair across from her desk, studying her carefully. Her features were sharp and intelligentb, /bbut I

had never seen her before.

“I don’t know who you are,” I stated firmly. “Tell me your name.”

Hazel Green smiled slightly, her eyes glittering with amusement. “While you don’t know me, I know you quite

well.”

She leaned back in her chair with practiced ease. “I’m acquainted with the Xavier family father band /bbson/bb, /b

Chapter 186 David is Taken Away

which naturally bmeans /bI know you as wellb./bb” /b

My bhands /bclenched involuntarily at the mention of that name. The Xavier family brepresented /bbeverything /b

wanted to forget about bmy /bpast.

Hazel walked to bthe /bbar in the corner of her office to pour tea. The sound of liquid hitting bporcin /bbfilled the /b

tense silence.

bShe /bbrought bthe /bbtea /bcup to me, cing it carefully on the desk. “We aren’t enemies, Sophia. You bdon’t /bbneed /bbto /b

bbe /bbso /bdefensiveb./bb” /b

“How can I know whether we’re enemies or not?” I demanded, my voice sharper than intended.

Hazel’s reasoning was simple and direct. “I don’t want Elena to return to the Whitmore familyb, /band you also

don’t want Elena to rise above you.”

I was slightly stunned by her blunt assessment. She had cut straight to the heart of my deepest fears band /b

resentments.

This person not only held leverage over me but also knew my affairs inside and out. bIf /bI didn’tply now, bI /b

had no idea what I might face next.

“What do you want me to do?” I asked quietly.

Hazel’s smile widened with satisfaction. “I knew you were a smart woman, Sophia.”

(Hugo Ashworth’s POV)

Two dayster, I finished my consultations and returned to my office. The familiar routine felt hollow without

Elena’s presence in the hospital.

Passing by the Healer’s Station, I overheard nurses discussing Elena’s extended leave of absence. I paused in

my steps, listening despite myself.

“Dr. ckwood’s vacation wasn’t supposed tost this long,” one nurse whispered.

“She still hasn’t returned,” another replied with concern.

I knew Elena’s original ns, and this extended absence wasn’t like her. Was she staying in the Northern Territory because of Marcus ckwood?

My expression darkened as I continued to my office. The thought of her choosing to remain with that Alpha made my jaw clench with frustration.

Dr. Edmond Fisher was waiting for me inside, reviewing patient files. He looked up as I entered, noting my

stern demeanor.

“Without Elena around, you’ve returned to your old ways of being iron–faced and impartial,” hemented

with a joking tone.

I frowned at his observation. “What do you mean by my old ways?b” /b

Edmond grinned knowingly. “You used to be iron–faced and impartial with everyone, but after Elena arrived, that changed.”

b“/bIt has nothing to do with her, I insisted firmly.

Edmond responded with a dismissive “tsk,” clearly seeing through my denial but choosing not to call it out

directly

???? ??? ??

Jane Parts suddenly burst hits the office, her fra hushed won urgency Edmond Your need toe ant

bnom /bnew!“

bEdmond /bpointed to himself in confusion. “MAY What’s Wigh

“Elena’s Toster brother has apparently been taken away by someone, she exined quickly Machal

Thompson just called me about #*

Edmond was startled, vaguely remembering Rachel as the nurse who was Elena’s friend He looked toward bme /bwith concern

I immediately stood up, my chair scraping against the floor. “Where is he?

(Sophia Rivers’s POV)

At that moment, I was pushing David ckthorne in his wheelchair to a secludedkeside location had deliberately chosen a path with few people around.

The wheels of his chair crunched softly against the gravel as we moved deeper into the isted area Perfect for what I needed to do.

I stopped the wheelchair and walked around to face him. David sat motionless, his eyes vacant but aware Looking at his helpless expression, I slowly crouched down to his eye level. The nurse said you’ve awakened, but you can’t speak. What a pity.”

I tilted my head with mock sympathy. “But you can hear, right?”

David remained motionless, only turning his eyes toward me. The slight movement confirmed what I needed

to know.

I smiled with cruel satisfaction. “Good. Then you’ll understand everything I’m about to tell you.”

My voice dropped to a whisper as I leaned closer. “Do you know what happened while you were unconscious?”

David’s fingers suddenly twitched against the wheelchair armrest. His eyelids trembled with the effort of processing imy /iwords.

“Elena probably ididn’t /itell iyou /ithat iyour /iparents are already dead, did she?” I continued with malicious intent. The color drained from David’s face as much as his condition allowed. His breathing became morebored.

“It’s normal that she didn’t tell youi,/i” I said conversationally. “After all, she’s not the ckthorne family’s biological child.”

I paused for maximum impact before delivering the final blow. “She’s the Whitmore family’s daughter, and after your parents died, she abandoned iyou /iand ran back to the Northern Territory to acknowledge her real family!”

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